BC Wildfires – Summer 2026
PHOTOS: SENIOR HIGH 3. Click to enlarge
AUGUST 13, 4:08 PM
The wildfires of note are quite a distance from RockRidge Canyon and camp remains relatively unaffected. Periods of smoke moving in and out of the canyon have been the largest impact this summer. We’re so thankful that it’s been quite clear this week!
As we turn toward the back half of the week and anticipate the journey home for all our campers we continue to monitor possible regional wildfire impacts. Clear routes both to the airport and back to other parts of BC and Alberta remain safe for travel. The Kelowna airport has had much more normal and steady flight operations over the last 48 hours. We will post an update should something change.
Despite a very long journey to camp for some of our group, we are so glad we’ve had the week together. Campers from all over the country – BC, Alberta and Ontario are having a fantastic time! We continue to pray for all the people and communities who’ve been deeply affected by wildfires and also for the safety of the active firefighters and first responders across the province.
Enjoy these photos of all the fun we’re having at camp this week!
PHOTO: AUGUST 11, 3:54 AM
AUGUST 11, 5:16 AM
Good good morning!
They have arrived.
At 3:54 am the final two buses of teens and leaders rolled into camp to a quiet but thrilled hero’s welcome.
As the sun is now rising over the lake we say “Thank you Lord”.
It is a good good morning. And the first full day of YL Senior High Camp 3!
PHOTO: AUGUST 10, 6:32 PM
PHOTO: AUGUST 10, 1:50 PM
AUGUST 10, 8:57 PM
Earlier today we were happy to hear that our Air Canada flight group had landed safely in Kelowna. They made it to camp in time for a rousing welcome, swimming, boating and some free time to stretch before dinner.
The West Jet Flight group landed safely in Calgary. Because of numerous types of delays their flight to Kelowna was cancelled. The good news is that we already had two buses waiting on standby at the Calgary airport – with incredibly supportive and understanding drivers! They are currently on their way, travelling a southern route to Osoyoos, BC and then on to RockRidge Canyon.
In consultation with our bus driver, we have strategically chosen this slightly longer route which prioritizes the most distance from any wildfire activity – as safety is our top priority. We anticipate this group will arrive at approximately 3:00 AM local time – where they’ll be greeted with a “midnight snack” and beds ready for a well-deserved night of sleep!
Our bus captain is sharing their location with our Regional Office and the team at RockRidge Canyon.
Our deepest thanks go out to everyone who participated in praying for this group!
We look forward to having all campers together for a full week of Young Life camp.
PHOTO: AUGUST 9, 8:22 PM
AUGUST 9, 1:26 PM
Here’s an update regarding the current wildfire situation in BC.
At this time, RockRidge Canyon has had minimal effects from the current wildfires and there are still travel routes accessible from the Kelowna airport to camp. We have experienced periods of wildfire smoke moving through the Princeton area, but the conditions at camp have remained manageable.
We are aware that there have been flight cancellations into and out of Kelowna airport today, with some being rescheduled for Tuesday. At this time, both our flights for Monday morning have not been cancelled. Given the current travel advisories from both WestJet and Air Canada, we are looking into other flight options. This includes options of post-poning departure by a day or two or flying into Vancouver or Abbotsford instead of Kelowna.
We would recommend that you keep a close eye on your teen’s flights over the next number of hours. If they are to be cancelled this will likely occur through the night or in the early morning hours.
As a reminder, flights are AC 1997 (North Durham, Hamilton, Muskoka, Toronto, Oakville, Milton, Barrie, Richmond Hill, South Durham) and WS 0629 and WS 0185 (Collingwood, Burlington, Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo, Mississauga).
How to proceed in the morning:
- If your flight is cancelled, please do not go to the airport. We will be in touch with next steps.
- If your flight is delayed, please still plan to arrive 2.5 hours before your new flight time.
We will regularly update our camp landing page. This will always be the most up-to-date and accurate information as the situation progresses – the page can be found here: younglife.ca/ontariocamperinfo.
Please know that we are closely monitoring this developing situation and will provide regular communication and updates as it continues to unfold. We will continue to make all our decisions with the safety of our teens as the top priority.
PHOTO: AUGUST 8, 6:49PM
UPDATE: August 8, 7:44 p.m.
Our campers are safe, and camp is operating normally.
We know many parents across Canada are seeing news about wildfires in British Columbia and may be wondering how conditions are affecting RockRidge Canyon. At this time, camp has had minimal effects from the wildfire activity and our summer camp program is continuing as planned.
We are experiencing periods of wildfire smoke moving through the Princeton area, but conditions at camp have remained manageable. Today was another beautiful day in the canyon, and our campers have continued to enjoy a normal camp experience.
We are closely monitoring wildfire activity and changing conditions throughout the province, including the situation in the Summerland area. While this activity is affecting some regional travel routes, it does not currently pose a threat to RockRidge Canyon.
We recognize that next week’s camp includes groups travelling from Alberta and Ontario and this may lead to questions about our plans to travel into camp. We are already working directly with trip coordinators and our contracted bus companies, and alternate travel routes will be utilized to ensure safe travel to and from camp if necessary.
The safety of every camper, leader and staff member is our highest priority. As a BC camp, we have established emergency and evacuation protocols, and our leadership team continually monitors conditions and maintains communication with local authorities and emergency services.
We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates if conditions change.
For now, camp is safe, operating normally, and your teens are having a great week.
We are grateful for that—and our prayers continue to be with the individuals, families and communities who are directly affected by wildfires across British Columbia.
UPDATE: Aug 6, 2026
At RockRidge we are closely monitoring the air quality each day and are able to adjust our activities when it is poor. The smoke levels in the air can vary significantly day to day, and can even change part way through the same day, due to the winds. Thus far this summer, we have mostly had days with adequate to good air quality and modest amounts of smoke with the exception of one to two days.
We are fortunate to have many great indoor options that are well ventilated for campers to enjoy when the smoke levels are high – and we are encouraging them to do so when air quality is poor and/or if they have increased sensitivity to the smoke. Camp is also well supported with two doctors on site to advise on how we proceed given the conditions. Any outside events that involve high exertion are reviewed in relation to the air quality and we have creative indoor options that can be substituted instead as needed.
Low Lake/Ice on lake – January 29, 2026
UPDATE: March 3, 2026
As temperatures rise, along with the level of the lake, please do not walk on ice or walk into the lake area below shoreline walkways.
Wildfire near Princeton BC – July 2025
UPDATE: July 16, 10:29 am
Fantastic News: The Evacuation Alert has been rescinded!
Again, we are incredibly grateful to the RDOS staff, BC Wildfire Service, Incident Command, local firefighters, and all those from Princeton and the surrounding area who responded. Your dedication and expertise have been a true gift to our community.
To all our friends and Young Life family – Your prayers were answered! We even got a little rain!
We were thrilled to welcome hundreds of teens to experience an amazing week of camp at RockRidge Canyon. At dinner we gave thanks to God and celebrated, with relief, joy and lots of laughter.
NOTE: We continue to monitor air quality and will make adjustments as needed to our programming. As we do each and every summer, we regularly check BC Wildfires to ensure that we are aware of what is happening around us. Because the August Lake fire is held and all the alerts and orders have been rescinded we will now conclude our regular updates related to this situation. Should the circumstances change, we will of course begin updating again.
Monday, July 14, 2:59 pm
Praise God! It’s a good afternoon at camp!
The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen has officially downgraded the evacuation order affecting the Princeton neighbourhood along the road to RockRidge Canyon. While this downgrade is extremely positive news, this area and RockRidge Canyon remains in the Alert zone so we are continuing to monitor the situation closely.
To first responders
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the RDOS staff, BC Wildfire Service, local firefighters, and everyone from Princeton and the surrounding area who responded with such skill, speed, and care. You are an incredible team and a true blessing. We’re deeply grateful for your wisdom, hard work, and the way you kept our neighbours—and us at camp—safe.
Your clear communication allowed our team to carry out plans smoothly and confidently. Thank you for going above and beyond. Please know you’ll remain in our prayers as you continue your work across BC.
Prayer team
Our deepest gratitude goes out to the incredible team of prayer warriors who lifted camp up to God.
Looking ahead
We’re excited to say we have the green light to welcome our next group of campers tomorrow afternoon!
While the skies are clear and air quality is good, keep in mind there are wildfires in the Similikameen valley which may affect air quality in the coming days. As part of camp’s Emergency preparedness plans we recommend campers and guests bring a water bottle, day pack and a few snacks in case we need to move off site.
With hearts full of gratitude, we’re pressing on—joyfully and prayerfully—into the rest of the summer.
On behalf of our whole team, THANK YOU!
Carolyn Mortensen
VP, Camping Ministry, Young Life of Canada
Wildfire near Princeton BC
Sunday, July 13, 8:40pm
No further updates at this time.
Wildfire near Princeton BC
Sunday, July 13, 2:15 pm
Thanks for your patience and prayers as we’ve navigated the situation surrounding the August Lake Wildfire close to RockRidge Canyon.
Here are a few important updates:
- All WyldLife Week 1 Campers and Leaders were able to safely and routinely leave camp at 9 AM this morning. They are now en route home and by all accounts had a wonderful and rather ‘normal’ week of camp despite the circumstances.
- Our Executive Leadership Team and on-site team at RRC (Property and Camp Managers) met with a group from BC Wildfires, the RDOS and town of Princeton staff earlier today. They are making good progress on the fire and have confidence in their efforts to suppress it. The threat of the fire to RRC is extremely low, the concern is the road leading into camp that is being used by fire teams extensively.
- In an effort to be good neighbours, we have opted to delay the start of WyldLife Week 2 by 24 hours. Fire Services are using the road into camp while managing the fire and they have asked that it not be occupied with buses and vehicles on Monday. At present, we have confidence that camp will be able to start on the afternoon of Tuesday July 15th.
- If you are sending a camper to WyldLife Week Two, you should have received an email from Young Life of Canada early Sunday afternoon. If you did not receive this communication, please reach out to communications@younglife.ca.
- We are so grateful for the property staff, Assignment Team and Work Staff on site at RockRidge Canyon. They have made excellent and wise decisions in the last 48 hours. They all remain safely on site at RockRidge Canyon.
We will continue to monitor the situation and anticipate another official update from Fire Services this evening. Should our plans for the days ahead change in any way, updates will continue to be posted here.
Please do not call the RockRidge Canyon office as we are keeping all communication lines open for emergency services.
If you need to be in touch with us, please reach out to incidents@younglife.ca.
Please join us in praying for the ongoing protection of all those on site, RockRidge Canyon and all those who are actively managing and helping in this situation.
Sincerely,
The Executive Leadership Team, Young Life of Canada
Wildfire near Princeton BC
Sunday July 13, 2025
UPDATE: 9:07 am
Good morning. It’s another sunny day at RockRidge Canyon. While camp remains in the alert zone, we remain in a HOLD in place situation and have not been asked to evacuate. We continue to feel safe and secure at RockRidge Canyon.
Our WyldLife Week One campers will leave at approximately 9:00 am this morning, as planned. While the road is safe for their departure and they’ll be allowed to pass through, traffic on the road into camp is being monitored by security and is limited only to camp staff at this time.
We remain in close contact with the Regional District of Okanagan and Similakmeen and the Incident Command team and will provide additional updates as they are made available to us.
We’ll provide a more detailed update related to our next camp(s) in the next couple of hours.
Thanks for your patience, prayers and concern as we continue to monitor the situation and make decisions about next steps.
Please do not call the RockRidge Canyon office as we are keeping all communication lines open for emergency services.
If you need to be in touch with us, please reach out to incidents@younglife.ca.
Please join us in praying for the ongoing protection of all those on site, RockRidge Canyon and all those who are actively managing and helping in this situation.
Sincerely,
The Executive Leadership Team, Young Life of Canada
Wildfire near Princeton BC
Saturday July 12, 2025
UPDATE: 9:49 pm
We want to be sure to keep you updated and informed and understand that this type of situation leads to anxiety and many questions. We continue to monitor the situation, but have several positive, ‘in the right direction’ updates to provide you with.
We have just been given an update from the RCMP and were told that while the camp remains under an evacuation ‘alert’, they do not believe that RockRidge Canyon will need to be evacuated.
The fire teams made swift work of dumping water and fire retardant and have made good progress in the containment of the fire.
The mood and feel at camp is quite ‘normal.’ While everyone is aware of the situation, the fires are not a felt-reality at RockRidge Canyon – they’ve got blue skies, no smoke and camp activities have continued as planned throughout the afternoon and evening.
As we practiced and moved through our emergency plans and procedures throughout the day, we had pivoted our regular departure plans to move from 11 AM to 9 AM. Campers will leave two hours early via their regular transportation plans for their trip to camp. Be assured, this is a regular departure, at a different time – not an emergency precaution. Students will have their cellphones once they are on the buses in the morning.
While we are optimistic about these updates and the progress on the fire, we will continue to monitor overnight and have a response team established and roles clearly defined to shift our plans should the situation change.
Should anything change between now and tomorrow morning’s departure, we will post an update here.
Our team will regroup in the morning to make a decision about the start time of WyldLife Week 2 that is set to start at camp on Monday. We will post an update here once we have made those decisions based on the guidance we receive from fire services in the area.
Please do not call the RockRidge Canyon office as we are keeping all communication lines open for emergency services.
If you need to be in touch with us, please reach out to incidents@younglife.ca.
Please join us in praying for the ongoing protection of all those on site, RockRidge Canyon and all those who are actively managing and helping in this situation.
Sincerely,
The Executive Leadership Team, Young Life of Canada
Wildfire near Princeton BC
Saturday July 12, 2025
UPDATE: 8:13 pm
This afternoon we were notified that a wildfire started near Princeton. It is actively being responded to by the BC Wildfire Service. Everyone at RockRidge Canyon is safe. All staff and campers are aware and prepared to leave camp property promptly, if required. This would happen at the direction of and with assistance from fire services.
We are in close communication with the Incident Command and have been given a HOLD in place position. We have an evacuation plan in place. At present, we’ve been assured that this is the safest and wisest option for safety of campers, volunteers and staff.
We will post updates as we get them, between now and 11 PM PDT, and again starting early in the morning.
Please do not call the RockRidge Canyon office as we are keeping all communication lines open for emergency services.
If you need to be in touch with us, please reach out to incidents@younglife.ca.
Please join us in praying for the ongoing protection of all those on site, RockRidge Canyon and all those who are actively managing and helping in this situation.
Sincerely,
The Executive Leadership Team, Young Life of Canada
The safety and well-being of every guest, camper and staff member at RockRidge Canyon is our highest priority.
We want to reassure families that we have strong emergency procedures in place at RockRidge Canyon.
Our team follows comprehensive safety protocols that cover a range of situations, including severe weather and natural disasters. All of our staff are thoroughly trained in these procedures and regularly review them to ensure a fast, calm, and effective response if needed. In addition, we practice a fire drill on the first full day of camp so that all campers are familiar with emergency response procedures.
In case of natural disasters, severe weather response or external emergencies, we will keep our websites regularly updated with the most up to date information.
If you have any specific questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at incidents@younglife.ca or 604-881-6023, ext. 105.