An evacuee tells her harrowing, unforgettable story of fleeing the largest and most devastating fire in West Kelowna’s history.
August 2023 saw the worst wildfire season the province of B.C. has ever recorded. A major contributor: the McDougall Creek wildfire, which expanded rapidly into an inferno of such terrifying proportions (13,970 hectares/34,522 acres) that firefighters feared it might be unstoppable.
Over the next few days, 35,000 residents were evacuated, at short notice and under looming threat. Among them was author Judith Hutchinson-Lepore, her husband Lorenzo, and their intrepid Australian shepherd, Oliver. This memoir chronicles their month-long odyssey, enduring nomadic living, emotional turmoil, and the agonizing uncertainty of whether their house had survived.
But it is also a story of hope: Finding the Phoenix and rising from the ashes. A testament to the courage of the 500 firefighters from across the province who risked life and limb to fight the blaze; the dedicated leaders of West Kelowna; and the determination of a community banding together to overcome an unimaginable catastrophe.
This mesmerizing account serves as both a cautionary tale about natural disasters on the rise, and an inspirational tribute to the resilience of the human spirit.
An evacuee tells her harrowing, unforgettable story of fleeing the largest and most devastating fire in West Kelowna’s history.
August 2023 saw the worst wildfire season the province of B.C. has ever recorded. A major contributor: the McDougall Creek wildfire, which expanded rapidly into an inferno of such terrifying proportions (13,970 hectares/34,522 acres) that firefighters feared it might be unstoppable.
Over the next few days, 35,000 residents were evacuated, at short notice and under looming threat. Among them was author Judith Hutchinson-Lepore, her husband Lorenzo, and their intrepid Australian shepherd, Oliver. This memoir chronicles their month-long odyssey, enduring nomadic living, emotional turmoil, and the agonizing uncertainty of whether their house had survived.
But it is also a story of hope: Finding the Phoenix and rising from the ashes. A testament to the courage of the 500 firefighters from across the province who risked life and limb to fight the blaze; the dedicated leaders of West Kelowna; and the determination of a community banding together to overcome an unimaginable catastrophe.
This mesmerizing account serves as both a cautionary tale about natural disasters on the rise, and an inspirational tribute to the resilience of the human spirit.
In 2022, Judith and her husband Lorenzo fulfilled a long-time dream by moving to West Kelowna, B.C. Just a year later, the catastrophic McDougall Creek wildfire, now known as the worst in Okanagan’s history, swept through the region. With her neighborhood among the hardest hit, Judith felt a deep need to document her month-long evacuation and her community’s fight to rebuild after the devastation and trauma.
A deeply personal memoir, this account captures the chaos and heartbreak of the August 2023 wildfire. Blending firsthand experience with news excerpts and wildfire data, Lepore chronicles the rapidly unfolding disaster, mass evacuations, and widespread property loss.
That said, the book doesn’t fully live up to its potential. The narrative often felt disjointed with the flash forwards, lacking a smooth beginning, middle, and end. Moments that could have had emotional impact were often undercut by spoilers, with the author revealing outcomes before telling the actual stories, diminishing its suspense and humor. The “fishing expedition,” for example, was introduced as a chaotic tale before it was even told, undermining any suspense.
Stylistically, the tone was more casual than cohesive, reading more like a conversation with a friend (and not always a focused one) than a refined memoir. This informality, combined with occasional typos and even an emoji, distracted from the seriousness of the content. The photos, while meaningful, were scattered throughout the text rather than organized in a more impactful way.
Character development was also lacking. As a fiction writer, Lepore has the background to build deeper emotional arcs and nuanced portrayals, but the people in her story often felt underdeveloped. At times, it was hard to feel sympathy for the author when others in her narrative, including a family with a small child, seemed to navigate tragedy with more grace and resilience.
Even thematically, missed opportunities stood out. Her recurring love of birds could have provided a symbolic throughline for the book, but it was never fully explored or tied into the larger story.
That said, Finding the Phoenix may resonate with readers seeking a firsthand account of the wildfire’s impact and the generosity shown by strangers during a time of upheaval. Moments of kindness and support for evacuees shine through, offering a moving glimpse into the strength of community during disaster.