Welcome to Summerland Strong: finding help and helping each other

Welcome to Summerland Strong, a community resource for people recovering from the Bald Range fire in Summerland, Faulder and Meadow Valley. Whether you need practical help, want to support a neighbour, or are trying to find a particular resource, this site is here to make the next step easier to find.

Recovery information can be scattered across social media, notices and word of mouth. Our goal is to bring useful links together in one clear, accessible place, so people can spend less time searching and more time getting the support they need.

This website was created and donated by Porthos Media, a Summerland business, as a contribution to our community’s recovery. Porthos Media manages and maintains the site. You can visit us at porthosmedia.net. Summerland Strong is an independent community project, not a government or emergency-services website.

If you need help, start with “I need help” for accommodation, practical support and recovery resources. There are also pages for insurance contacts, mental health support and cleaning services. A listing is a starting point: please contact the provider to confirm current availability and any requirements.

If you want to help, the Fundraisers page links to GoFundMe campaigns for people affected by the Bald Range fire. Support is not limited to households with a total loss. You can also find places accepting donated items, volunteer opportunities and family wishlists. Please read each organizer’s current information before donating, and give through the linked campaign or provider. The sitewide “Donate money” button will remain unavailable until a destination is confirmed.

You can help keep this resource useful. Use “Add a resource” to tell us about support, a fundraiser or an opportunity we have missed. Submit a recovery event for the calendar, add your Summerland-based business to the business directory, or tell us when a listing needs correcting. Businesses do not have to offer a discount to be included. Public submissions are reviewed before they appear.

There is room here for the human side of recovery, too. Share a well wish, a message of thanks to firefighters and first responders, or a photo you have permission to publish. Approved firefighter thank-you photos appear in both the Well Wishes gallery and the main photo gallery. Please avoid sharing anyone’s private information without their permission.

This News & Letters section will be a place for announcements, community updates and letters from residents. To offer a letter or suggest a story, use the Contact form. You can also create a free account to join the comments, reply to neighbours and receive reply notifications if you choose. Comments are reviewed before publication.

You do not have to do everything to make a difference. Share one useful link. Fill one wishlist need. Offer an hour of your time. Let someone know where help is available. Every practical act of care helps our community move forward.

Thank you for being here, and for looking out for each other.