SUMMERLAND, B.C. — A string of wildfires that menaced Summerland and neighbouring communities this month has shuttered tasting rooms, rerouted visitors and left winery owners watching a critical part of their income evaporate during the height of the season.
Peak months lost as access and visitors dry up
For many Okanagan vintners, the months from June through September represent the busiest stretch of the year. One operator estimated those months account for roughly 80 per cent of annual revenue. After being evacuated when the Bald Range fire threatened town, winery owner Mike Stohler was allowed back only with a temporary access pass and found most of his vines intact but some equipment and stored materials damaged.
Road closures, heavy smoke and evacuation orders have kept potential tourists away and forced tasting rooms to remain closed. Another local vintner, Ron Kubek of Lighting Rock, described the relief of finding his operations standing but stressed the broader toll on the community — lost homes, displaced residents and at least one death.
"A tourism season is four months -- June, July, August, September. That is our prime month. That's where we make 80 per cent of our income in those months, and now we've been shut in the middle of August,"
The combination of limited access and visible wildfire impacts has effectively erased much of August's expected business, owners said. Even after some evacuation orders were downgraded and residents were allowed to return, the lingering smoke and uncertainty about fire activity have discouraged visitors.
Local economy and workers at stake
The Okanagan wine industry supports a web of seasonal jobs in hospitality, cellaring and vineyard labour. Small and family-run wineries are particularly dependent on direct sales from tasting rooms, on-site events and walk-in visitors, especially during harvest and late‑summer tourist flows.
With the provincial state of emergency and ongoing fires elsewhere in the Interior, winery owners urged residents and visitors to continue buying B.C. wine and cider where possible — by choosing a local bottle at dinner or ordering online — to help businesses and employees as the community recovers.
- Immediate impacts: tasting-room closures, cancelled visits, road closures and reduced foot traffic.
- Operational damage: some stored vineyard materials burned; irrigation filters affected.
- Community effects: displaced residents, property losses and at least one death reported.
Context: wildfires across the Interior
The Bald Range wildfire threatened Summerland while the larger Pear Lake fire burned north of Lillooet. In recent reports the Pear Lake fire was mapped at nearly 1,500 square kilometres near Pavilion Creek. The province has issued multiple evacuation orders this season and declared a state of emergency as more than 120 fires were active across B.C., a number that has stressed firefighting resources and complicated travel for visitors.
| Tourism season | Relative revenue share |
|---|---|
| June–September | ~80% of annual income (typical, according to a local winery owner) |
What wineries and residents are doing now
Some winery operators gained temporary access to check on vines and infrastructure; others remained off-limits because of active fire danger or road closures. Owners reported tasks such as clearing ash, repairing or cleaning irrigation equipment and accounting for inventory losses. Several called on the public to support the region's wine and cider producers to keep people employed while the community rebuilds.
Local officials and emergency services continue to prioritise safety and re‑entry planning; many residents who were evacuated were recently allowed to return to properties in Summerland and West Kelowna after orders were downgraded.
How consumers can help
Given the centrality of direct sales to small wineries’ cash flow, owners suggested simple ways for consumers to provide support without visiting: choose B.C. wines at restaurants and bars where possible, and place orders through winery websites or phone when deliveries and retail options are available.
As the Okanagan looks to recover from this season's blazes, winery owners say every bottle sold helps sustain staff and preserves the fabric of a community that relies heavily on summer tourism.
— Reporting from Summerland for WE NEWS
