Before and after photos show home, music venue lost to B.C. wildfire
'As we drove away, we could see in our rear view mirror the fire cresting the mountain. It was that close and that fast. There was no time to do anything more,' Craig Milton said.
Small farm owner and music venue operator Craig Milton suffered extensive losses in the Bald Range wildfire near Summerland, British Columbia. Milton first heard about a fire at Crump Recreation site on Friday night while at home with his animals. Initially believing the fire was 15 km away, they quickly realized the severity of the situation as emergency vehicles and helicopters became visible.
Milton and his family evacuated their home and sanctuary, focusing on ensuring the animals had water and food, as they knew evacuation would be challenging.
The Bald Range wildfire rapidly grew to 5,000 hectares that night, claiming Milton's home and music venue as the only major structures lost in the area. As he fled, Milton could see the fire cresting the mountain just behind them. Despite attempts to grab personal items, most of his belongings were lost, including autographed instruments, posters, vinyl records, and sound systems.
The devastation left Milton reflecting on the sudden change in his life, acknowledging that his comfort and possessions were erased within a brief moment.
Written by urgent.news from Global News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
