‘We will lose a lot of our annual crops’: B.C. farmers face losses due to wildfires

Ella Braden, owner of Braden Hill Orchard & Farm in Summerland, British Columbia, was on vacation when wildfires tore through her community. Friends managed to evacuate her farm's chickens and ducks, leaving water and access to ensure their safety. However, Braden fears her annual crops will suffer due to the fires. About 100 wildfires are currently burning in B.C., with half of them uncontrolled.

The Bald Range wildfire, which ignited on Friday, has expanded to 184 square kilometres. Despite the fires, Braden's family is staying with her parents in Washington State, where they have temporarily evacuated. About half of her annual income comes from fruit sales during the second half of August to October. Braden estimates that up to half of her income may be lost due to the fires, as she cannot currently irrigate her crops.

As a result of the fires, she had to lay off a part-time employee. B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that wildfires are affecting crops and soot, with peach season in the Okanagan being disrupted.