Media Releases

Kelowna, BC — Following the declaration of a provincial state of emergency in response to wildfires across British Columbia, Wine Growers British Columbia (WGBC) is standing with the residents, businesses, winery teams, grape growers, and families affected by the fires, including those facing evacuation in and around Summerland.

The immediate priority across British Columbia is the safety of residents, winery and vineyard teams, emergency responders, and everyone working to protect communities and property.

“Right now, the only priority is keeping people safe,” said Jeff Guignard, President and CEO of Wine Growers BC. “Our thoughts are with everyone who has been displaced or impacted by these fires, and we are deeply grateful to the firefighters, first responders, emergency crews, local officials, and volunteers working around the clock to protect people, homes, and businesses.”

Wine Growers BC is in direct contact with affected wineries, government, industry, and tourism partners to understand emerging needs and help coordinate support.

WGBC is also working to turn the broader wine community’s offers of assistance into practical support for affected businesses and their teams. This could include temporary staff accommodation, accommodation for animals, temperature-controlled storage, transportation, labour, equipment, and other industry resources, as needs become known.

“It is still far too early to assess what the fires may mean for individual wineries, vineyards, or the 2026 vintage,” said Guignard. “Conditions are changing quickly and impacts can vary dramatically from one property to another. Wine Growers BC will not speculate about vine loss, wine quality, or potential smoke impacts while people are still dealing with evacuations and emergency crews are responding.”

British Columbia’s wine industry spans nine distinct wine regions across a large geographic area, and conditions differ considerably from community to community. In light of the provincial state of emergency, WGBC encourages residents and visitors to put safety first, follow all evacuation orders, alerts, and directions from emergency officials and check current road and wildfire conditions before travelling.

Winery operating status can also change quickly. Anyone with plans to visit wine country should check directly with individual wineries before travelling and avoid areas where evacuation orders, alerts, or other travel advisories are in effect.

Supporting Affected Communities

Those looking to help can consider donating to organizations supporting people affected by the wildfires, including the Community Foundation South Okanagan Similkameen and Mamas for Mamas Okanagan Wildfire Relief, and checking with local emergency and community response centres for current needs and opportunities to assist.

“BC wine has always been a close-knit community, and we are already seeing wineries and people across our industry asking what they can do to help,” said Guignard. “Our role is to help turn that goodwill into practical support, stand behind the people and communities directly affected, and make sure our wineries and growers know they will not have to navigate what comes next alone.”

As the immediate emergency response continues, Wine Growers BC will remain in contact with affected wineries, growers, and government partners. As conditions stabilize, WGBC will also work to understand business interruption, vineyard and crop impacts, technical and regulatory needs, and the longer-term recovery support that may be required.

For current information:

Residents and visitors are encouraged to:

• Check EmergencyInfoBC and the BC Wildfire Service for current wildfire information, evacuation orders, and alerts.
• Check DriveBC for current road closures and travel conditions.
• Follow all evacuation orders, alerts, and instructions from local authorities and emergency officials.
• Check individual winery websites and social media channels for current operating information before travelling.

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Media Availability

Jeff Guignard, CEO of Wine Growers BC, is available for media interviews and is the industry spokesperson for the BC wine sector on the wildfire situation and its impact on the wine community.

Wine Growers BC can also help connect media with winery owners, growers and other industry representatives who can speak directly to their experiences and the situation in their communities.

Media Contact:
Kelly Josephson
KJosephson@WineBC.com
Wine Growers British Columbia