Penticton Vees pay tribute to those impacted by Bald Range Wildfire
Penticton, B.C. — “There’s never a moment where communities come together better than after a moment where you’re close to losing it all.”
Penticton Vees captain Callum Stone takes immense pride in seeing how the Okanagan can spring into action in the face of an emergency.
The reigning B.C. Division Champions hosted Summerland Strong Night on Saturday, Oct. 3, to pay tribute to first responders, evacuees, volunteers and all those impacted by the Bald Range Wildfire of 2026.
On August 7, more than 20,000 people, including the entire community of Summerland and nearby Faulder and Peachland, fled the area as the fire cut power and encroached on buildings, farms and major roadways, prompting the province to declare a state of emergency.
The still-smoldering fire covered more than 25,000 hectares, resulting in the death of an 80-year-old woman and a still-to-be-determined number of structures lost.
While the scope of the loss is immense, Summerland Strong Night focused on how people stepped up for each other.
The pre-game ceremony began with a video set to ‘When the Smoke Clears’, a song written and produced by Summerland resident Dan Whitney while he was evacuated from his home.
Videos and images showed home security videos of water bombers at work and sparks shooting into yards, volunteers sorting donations and serving meals at emergency relief stations, firefighters – including some of the crews who arrived from Mexico- at work, kids dressed in their own firefighter costumes and holding thank you signs, and a shot of the sky that showed sunbeams finally penetrating a thick haze of smoke.
Following the video, the team called members of local fire departments, search and rescue agencies, helicopter pilots, RCMP, emergency support services and operation centres, health services and Summerland city council members to the ice.
When the Vees announced plans to recognize those impacted by the fires, Summerland residents reached out in search of a way to show their appreciation to first responders and neighbouring communities.
Their messages aired on the video board throughout Saturday’s match.
“My family and I have lived in Summerland for 35 years,” resident Jeff McCallum said in one video. “I wanted to thank the firefighters and first responders for everything they did to protect our community and personally helping (to) save my home. My family and I are truly grateful for that. And to our neighbors in Penticton, thank you, thank you, thank you for your incredible hospitality, kindness, generosity. You opened doors to us when we needed it most. We will never forget that.”
Stone, 19, was born and raised just up the highway in neighbouring Kelowna.
He remembers the destruction of the 2023 wildfires in Kelowna and having multiple families come to stay while they waited to see if their homes would survive the blaze.
“My neighborhood was probably just on the brink of being evacuated,” Stone recalled. “You walk down to the park and to see fires within a kilometer of your house burning and trees candling right next to homes, and, you know, it’s kind of surreal. You got goosebumps seeing the hundreds of different fire trucks and police services going in and out, and obviously, trying to support the people who were unbelievably stressed…
I think not a lot of people truly understand the scale and how scary it can be in those situations,” he added. “You’re looking at complete darkness from smoke, and the only thing you can see is the flashing lights of these emergency service vehicles, and you know all those really, really brave firefighters and first responders who are going out there and not only dealing with the situation but handling it very, very well. I’m fortunate to have friends that help out in those services, and I can’t overstate how brave and how lucky we are to have those types of people.”
Kelowna-based country musician Dawson Gray also performed between periods.
The Vees also pledged $2 from every ticket sold for the area Wildfire Relief Fund.
All told, the game raised more than $6,400 — and rookie Gavin Katz’s one-goal, one-assist performance helped seal a 4-2 win.
“It was important to give the community of Summerland, Penticton, obviously Falder, and the entire South and Okanagan an opportunity to recognize and applaud those individuals who really stepped up during that period of time,” Vees Senior Vice-President Chris Laurie said. “Hopefully it was closure in a way. It was closure to what that experience was, and, you know, now we can move forward and continue to rebuild.”
