The Museum & Archives of Vernon (MAV) is staging a public conversation about wildfire ecology on Saturday, Aug. 22, bringing award-winning ecologist and author Don Gayton to Vernon for a Hometown Histories presentation that will also raise funds for local wildfire relief.
Context and purpose
The event arrives at a sensitive moment for many Okanagan residents who have lived through recent fire seasons that reshaped communities, access and landscapes. Organizers say the talk is intended both to deepen understanding of fire’s role in shaping regional ecosystems and to provide an opportunity for neighbours to support each other.
“We recognize that this is a sensitive time to be talking about wildfire,” said Cassidy Latimer, curator at the MAV. “Our hope is that this event can provide a thoughtful space to listen and reflect on the landscape we share, while also coming together to support our neighbours who have been directly impacted.”
The museum is donating 100 per cent of proceeds from the presentation to the Okanagan Indian Band’s Wildfire Relief. The talk forms part of the MAV’s Hometown Histories speaker series and complements the museum’s current exhibition, Battling the Blaze: A Historic Look at the Frontline of Firefighting, which surveys the history and evolution of firefighting in the Okanagan.
What the talk will cover
Drawing on decades of study of grasslands, forests and fire ecology in British Columbia, Gayton will explore the ecological history of fire in the Okanagan and the evolving relationship between people and the landscape. He is an ecologist, educator and author of seven creative nonfiction books, including The Sky and the Patio: An Ecology of Home, Man Facing West and Okanagan Odyssey. His writing has been recognised with honours such as the Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize and the Canadian Science Writers Award.
- Historical role of fire in shaping Okanagan ecosystems
- Changes in human-landscape relationships over time
- Connections between ecology, place and community
- Questions and discussion with the audience following the presentation
Organizers note that Gayton’s approach is intended to be reflective rather than prescriptive, offering context for residents who are dealing with the aftermath of fires or who want to learn more about ecological processes underpinning the region’s landscapes.
Logistics and ticketing
The presentation runs from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Museum & Archives of Vernon. Tickets are priced at $20 and are available through the museum's website.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, Aug. 22 |
| Time | 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. |
| Location | Museum & Archives of Vernon |
| Tickets | $20 — available at vernonmuseum.ca |
| Beneficiary | Okanagan Indian Band’s Wildfire Relief (100% of proceeds) |
Light refreshments and snacks will be provided. The museum’s curator emphasised that the event is meant to be accessible and that people should attend when they feel ready to engage with the subject.
For Vernon residents, the presentation offers two immediate values: a deeper look at the ecological role of fire in local landscapes and a concrete way to direct community support to one of the Indigenous communities most affected by recent wildfire events. As the Okanagan continues to reckon with changing fire regimes and how to live with them, such public conversations can shape local understanding and inform civic and personal decisions around land use, stewardship and recovery.
Tickets and further event details are available at: vernonmuseum.ca/events/speaker-series-don-gayton/.
