British Columbia害羞草研究所檚 2023 wildfires were a life-changing disaster for many, and their impact has echoed into the holiday season.

The fire season was already breaking records by mid-August when forecasters warned that dry lightning and strong winds on the way were a recipe for catastrophe. Thousands were forced to leave in the southern Interior ahead of fast-moving wildfires. Fire officials described a ferocious fight to save homes, but hundreds were burned to their foundations in the Okanagan and Shuswap regions.

From fire chiefs, to those who lost their homes, to Pumba the pig, here害羞草研究所檚 how some affected by the emergency are spending their holiday season:

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害羞草研究所業 DON害羞草研究所橳 THINK WE害羞草研究所橵E EVER BEEN STRONGER害羞草研究所�

Paul Zydowicz is among 13 members of the Wilson害羞草研究所檚 Landing Fire Department who lost their homes when a wildfire tore through their small community on the shores of Okanagan Lake in August.

The fire chief said the disaster 害羞草研究所渆clipsed害羞草研究所� everything else they experienced this year.

害羞草研究所淩egardless of what else happened in everybody害羞草研究所檚 lives, we just keep on going back and talking about the fire,害羞草研究所� Zydowicz said.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a lot of associated stress, there害羞草研究所檚 a lot of trauma, there害羞草研究所檚 a lot of sadness, but I think overall, the community is pretty positive in our plans going forward.害羞草研究所�

As terrible as it was, Zydowicz said the destructive fire has pulled people together.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 think we害羞草研究所檝e ever been stronger as far as the feeling of community.害羞草研究所�

Zydowicz said the holiday season will help people as they try to 害羞草研究所済o back to normal,害羞草研究所� but it害羞草研究所檚 hard to start from scratch.

害羞草研究所淎ll the Christmas decorations that aren害羞草研究所檛 there anymore, that you害羞草研究所檝e accumulated for 20, 30 years sometimes, and the older folks, longer than that,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淵ou can害羞草研究所檛 have those things your kids made 害羞草研究所� that used to hang on the tree every year.害羞草研究所�

He and his family are renting a house in nearby West Kelowna, where they can stay for up to two years as they start the process of rebuilding.

Others have temporary arrangements, as they struggle to find a home in the rental market, he said.

Zydowicz said he害羞草研究所檚 heard of insurance companies indicating it could be three or four years before some residents will be able to return home after rebuilding.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 rather massive, because we just added 200 homes to be rebuilt in a very small area and 害羞草研究所� you know, the rest of the province was burning too.害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所�

Looking ahead, Zydowicz said he hopes the landscape starts showing signs of recovery and the rebuilding process is smooth for those who lost their homes.

害羞草研究所淩ebuilding is part of it, but there害羞草研究所檚 only so much we can do about nature and I害羞草研究所檓 hoping that we have nature help us with making the area look green again, because that害羞草研究所檚 what was the magic about our little neck of the woods here.害羞草研究所�

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害羞草研究所業T害羞草研究所橲 JUST GONNA BE A LOT OF HARD WORK害羞草研究所�

Jesse Zeman and his family use to host holiday gatherings at their property, where people could skate on an outdoor rink and go tobogganing.

But their home was destroyed in the wildfire that raced through forest and suburbs in West Kelowna in August.

害羞草研究所淭he good news is we have a place now and get to see some family over the holidays and yeah, so that害羞草研究所檚 the silver lining I guess,害羞草研究所� he said.

After the fire, Zeman and his wife and two children stayed with family, then lived in a short-term rental for months before finding a new place at the beginning of December.

He said the family will be there for about six months as they wait on their insurance claim so they can begin rebuilding.

Zeman said it害羞草研究所檚 been somewhat overwhelming trying to deal with the preparations to rebuild, but over the holidays, they害羞草研究所檒l be spending time with family 害羞草研究所渁nd taking time to relax.害羞草研究所�

The stress of dealing with the area害羞草研究所檚 tight rental market after the fire was difficult to manage, he said, but the flip-side has seen those in his neighbourhood come together to support each other.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 see any miracles on the horizon. It害羞草研究所檚 just gonna be a lot of hard work,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 definitely, I would say, brought our neighbourhood together for sure, which has been really good. Everybody害羞草研究所檚 reaching out and in contact and supporting each other. So, that害羞草研究所檚 been that害羞草研究所檚 been pretty, pretty awesome for sure.害羞草研究所�

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害羞草研究所楳AKING IT THROUGH, BUT NOT WITHOUT DIFFICULTY害羞草研究所�

Jennifer Hansen helped feed firefighters and evacuees during the wildfires and said she害羞草研究所檚 one of the lucky ones this Christmas in West Kelowna.

The Salvation Army captain said she害羞草研究所檒l be spending Christmas in her home, with her family, putting up decorations that have been part of her holiday traditions for years.

Others won害羞草研究所檛 be so fortunate, said Hansen who is hearing from people who lost their homes in the wildfires who are struggling emotionally and financially.

害羞草研究所淔or me it was an inconvenience,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淲e were out of our house for 10 days but we went back and everything was there as is and I got to pull out my decorations and put them up.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淪ome of these folks tell stories of them thinking back to the Christmas decorations that were very sentimental to them that were passed down through the family and over time, that the kids made for them or a parent gave to them, and they don害羞草研究所檛 have those anymore,害羞草研究所� Hansen said.

She said Christmas can also be a reminder for some of everything that was lost.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 pretty heartbreaking, heartbreaking stories that we害羞草研究所檙e hearing,害羞草研究所� said Hansen. 害羞草研究所淚t is difficult and I don害羞草研究所檛 think I害羞草研究所檒l play it down and say, 害羞草研究所榠t害羞草研究所檚 not that bad.害羞草研究所� People are making it through but not without difficulty.害羞草研究所�

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害羞草研究所楢 VERY DIFFERENT CHRISTMAS害羞草研究所�

The scars of the McDougall Creek wildfire that raced through West Kelowna in August are plainly visible this holiday season.

West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund said groups are coming together every day to support those who lost their homes.

害羞草研究所淎nd it害羞草研究所檚 devastating to look up on the hills there and see the scars, and know that means a very different Christmas for those whose homes were lost.

害羞草研究所淭he early days of the fire were difficult physically for us because we were working hard and we weren害羞草研究所檛 sleeping or eating properly,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淏ut I think that as time has gone on, things have become more challenging mentally.害羞草研究所�

But Brolund 害羞草研究所� who became a nationally known figure due to daily fire briefings and went on to address the United Nations 害羞草研究所� said the wildfire has also brought out the best in the community as people rallied around firefighters and those who lost their homes.

He said that, just as the scars of the fire are still visible, so are signs along the edge of the highway with messages of gratitude and support for emergency response staff and others.

害羞草研究所淭he number of cards and signs that were at the firehall was overwhelming,害羞草研究所� Brolund said. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a sign up in the firehall here from a family that lost their home, and we walk by that every day.害羞草研究所�

He said the fire brought the importance of family back into focus.

害羞草研究所淣one of this would have been possible for our firefighters if it wasn害羞草研究所檛 for our families,害羞草研究所� Brolund said. 害羞草研究所淭he majority of our firefighters were evacuated during this fire, and they didn害羞草研究所檛 have time to go home to pack. So, none of this (effort) would have happened if it wasn害羞草研究所檛 for the families taking care of that at home.害羞草研究所�

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PUMBA THE PIG 害羞草研究所楯UST LIVING HER BEST LIFE害羞草研究所�

Pumba the pig didn害羞草研究所檛 just survive when a wildfire swept over the Broken Rail Ranch in West Kelowna in August.

She害羞草研究所檚 thriving, according to Keramia Lawrie, whose parents own the ranch. She said Pumba was looking forward to a Christmas meal of turkey leftovers and maybe some spaghetti.

Lawrie said Pumba emerged from the disaster with a taste for pasta thanks to firefighters who took care of her after she was found alive in the ruins of the ranch.

A helicopter pilot initially threw granola bars from the air to sustain Pumba but later other firefighters 害羞草研究所淒oorDashed her spaghetti,害羞草研究所� said Lawrie.

She said Pumba refused to eat her regular diet after being 害羞草研究所渟o spoiled害羞草研究所� by the fire crews, but she won害羞草研究所檛 begrudge a Christmas feast for the hog.

害羞草研究所淚 think she deserves that. She is a survivor,害羞草研究所� Lawrie said.

When the fire swept over the farm in August, Lawrie害羞草研究所檚 father, Jeff Findlay, had to escape without Pumba and her sister Miss Wilbur. Pumba was spotted from the air roaming on a patch of grass, but Miss Wilbur didn害羞草研究所檛 survive.

Lawrie said Pumba appeared to have overcome the loss of Miss Wilbur and moved on with her life.

害羞草研究所淚 think we are gonna get her another pig eventually, but right now she seems pretty happy hanging out with the goats and the horses,害羞草研究所� said Lawrie. 害羞草研究所淪he gets lots of attention.害羞草研究所�

Pumba害羞草研究所檚 daily routine involves lots of napping and when she is awake, she hangs out with other farm animals.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 kind of her day, she is very spoiled. She doesn害羞草研究所檛 have to work or anything,害羞草研究所� laughed Lawrie.

Community volunteers have come together over the past few months to help rebuild the farm, including a little hut for Pumba to replace the one destroyed in the fire.

害羞草研究所淪he loves it. She害羞草研究所檚 very happy,害羞草研究所� said Lawrie. 害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 really just living her best life.害羞草研究所�

Two mysteries remain, Lawrie said. The first is how the giant pig survived in the eye of the wildfire storm. The second is how much she weighs because she害羞草研究所檚 now too big to fit on the scale.

READ ALSO: West Kelowna ranch heart 害羞草研究所榖roken害羞草研究所� after losing property, beloved pig to fire

READ ALSO: 13 Wilson害羞草研究所檚 Landing firefighters lose their homes to McDougall Creek wildfire