Over 20 regional projects delayed or downsized due to Bald Range Wildfire

Over 20 regional projects delayed or downsized due to Bald Range Wildfire

Published 3:08 pm Friday, September 25, 2026

The Bald Range wildfire in August led to delays or downsizing for more than 20 Regional District of South Okanagan-Similkameen projects.

The RDOS’ Emergency Operations Centre and emergency response required employees to change their focus for the month, with almost 4,000 work hours taken up by the fire.

In a presentation to the RDOS board of directors on Sept. 24, staff offered about 2,400 hours worth of projects that they were proposing be delayed to 2027 or reduced in scope.

The changes to planned projects were necessary to keep various departments and services on budget, with hours during the regular work week not reimbursed by the province.

Of the list of projects, three were designated for a reduced scope, and two were proposed for outright removal from the current project list.

The projects with reduced scope include the relocation of the memorial cenotaph in Naramata to focus just on collecting feedback and communication with residents.

The project to establish a combined wastewater treatment plant for the Vintage Views neighbourhood and Okanagan Falls was cut outright, as it was contingent on the RDOS receiving grant funding. The project remains under the contingent list for the RDOS, which means if funding does come in from a different source, it will move forward again.

Okanagan Falls Director Matt Taylor asked why the project was being deferred, instead of being removed from the main project list. Staff responded by stating that without the grant, they were moving forward with conducting repairs to the existing system instead of waiting.

A revision to the Okanagan Falls sewer bylaw was also scrapped, with the intention that it be left up to the incoming District of Okanagan Falls to deal with when the system transfers over to the new municipality in 2030.

Another project put in for delay was the ongoing installation of water meters in Faulder. Naramata Director Adrienne Fedrigo asked what would happen with the grant funding and if it would be extended, as there were properties that already had meters installed before the Bald Range Wildfire swept through the community.

“That is something we’re currently discussing with the province,” replied Liisa Bloomfield, RDOS senior manager of public works.

One project was actually presented for a potential increase in work hours to allow for additional bus shelters installed for transit stops on Route 50 in Hedley.

The projects that were deferred due to the wildfire include sewer main upgrades in Okanagan Falls, design and assessment projects for water systems in Okanagan Falls, Willowbrook and Naramata, leachate upgrades at Campbell Mountain Landfill, the relocation of the 911 telecomm tower at the Pincushion area near Keremeos, the creation of a community park at Apex, landscaping upgrades around the Similkameen Rec Centre and the replacement of multiple remote RDOS site servers.