A scorched basketball net can be seen between dying trees above Nighthawk Road.

Lines of yellow tape stretch around a concrete building, which is charred and black, aside from a blue in-ground pool. The building stands as a reminder of the devastating wildfire that was deemed an arson and destroyed eight Okanagan Centre homes in July last year.

Sue Gibb is one of the residents that lost her house. A year later, Gibb and her husband are moving into their newly built home.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e very happy to be back on Nighthawk Road, that害羞草研究所檚 for sure. It害羞草研究所檚 been a long haul,害羞草研究所� she said.

READ MORE: Fire quickly escalated

Gibb was able to live at a neighbouring property for much of the year and watched the construction on her home each day.

害羞草研究所淚t was a way to heal, and calm us,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淲hen you walk into the property in the beginning and you see (your home isn害羞草研究所檛 there), your brain does funny things. It害羞草研究所檚 your home, but it害羞草研究所檚 not there. We would look, or we would drive by the place two, three, or four times a day and so that shock was gone relatively quickly compared to our neighbours who lost their homes as well,害羞草研究所� Gibb said. 害羞草研究所淚t was nice to be local and watch the progress on our home.害羞草研究所�

Construction workers are busy driving excavators, semi trucks and mini bulldozers on Nighthawk Road, working to rebuild.

Gibb and her husband escaped from their home with just the shirts on their backs.

害羞草研究所淲e had nothing,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淲e were there for 22 and a half years and our children were raised there,害羞草研究所� Gibb said.

Dead trees, a charred landscape and ongoing construction are the only signs left of wildfire in the area.

Brian Thompson also lost his home to the fire, and said moving into his new home in the next two weeks has left him with 害羞草研究所渕ixed emotions.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e running around buying stuff for our house and you know, we got out of the house with what we were wearing that day,害羞草研究所� he said.

Thompson was able to stay on Hare Road with a friend, which is in Okanagan Centre.

害羞草研究所淚t just all worked out really well,害羞草研究所� he said.

During a trip to Summerland, he said he sees it happening again. 害羞草研究所淲e hate to think of it as the new norm but possibly it is,害羞草研究所� Thompson said.

READ MORE: Lake Country couple devastated by fire

害羞草研究所淚 never really thought of it. We did everything we could to plan if there was a fire, we kept the grass down in the backyard and all the rest of it, but it still happened,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭he most annoying thing was the fact that it was arson and you don害羞草研究所檛 really need that. The amount of money that was lost on Nighthawk Road and they害羞草研究所檒l never find the person that did it.害羞草研究所�

The Okanagan Centre wildfire took off up the steep hill from the roadside on Okanagan Centre Road West heading straight for their street.

Whipped up by gusting winds, firefighters scrambled to protect structures as the smoke quickly intensified, while batting against steep terrain and houses surrounded by , shrubs, grass and trees.

Insured losses equalled more than $13 million. The Lake Country firefighters also spent 1,114 hours at the Okanagan Centre blaze.

READ MORE: Losses over $13 million in Okanagan Centre fire

Deemed as arson, suspects have yet to be caught.

If given the chance, Thompson wouldn害羞草研究所檛 have words to say to the arsonist.

害羞草研究所淚 would hope the law would deal with them, I wouldn害羞草研究所檛 really want anything to do with that,害羞草研究所� he said.

He built his retirement home on Nighthawk Road 18 years ago and is hoping to stay in his new home as long as he can.

carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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