South Okanagan Residents Demand Answers After Multiple Fire Chief Departures
Emma MacLeod
7/17/20262 min read
About two dozen residents from rural communities in B.C.’s South Okanagan gathered Thursday to demand answers from the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen after several fire chief departures and vacancies.
Residents say they are worried about what the leadership gaps could mean for emergency response during what officials expect to be a challenging fire season.
The rally took place outside the regional district’s office in Penticton.
“I think we should have some form of explanation for what the heck is going on,” said Glenn Coutts, one of the residents who attended.
Coutts said he found it difficult to believe it was a coincidence that multiple chiefs, who hold paid positions overseeing volunteer fire departments in rural communities, had left or been removed from their roles within a matter of weeks.
Regional District Says Situations Are Separate
RDOS spokesperson Erik Thompson told residents there is “no underlying hidden agenda.”
“These are individual situations that are being managed separately,” he said.
The leadership changes include the chief of the Kaleden Fire Department being placed on paid administrative leave pending a review.
The Naramata fire chief has also departed in what the district has described as an HR issue.
No further details are being released about either situation.
Other Departments Also Without Permanent Chiefs
The regional district has also recently decided not to replace the retired Keremeos fire chief.
Instead, the local fire department will fall under the command of the manager of regional fire services, a newly created position.
There is also no permanent fire chief in Okanagan Falls.
The district says that is because the community is in the process of becoming a municipality, and the chief’s position should be filled by the new mayor and council once they are elected.
Residents and Firefighters Raise Safety Concerns
For Joel Kastor, a volunteer firefighter in Kaleden, the situation is troubling.
He said it appears the RDOS is removing chiefs and senior personnel from departments while moving toward regional leadership or administrative roles.
Hugh Winter, another Kaleden resident, said he is concerned about the loss of local fire leadership during peak fire season.
“This is the middle of fire season and it's dry as a bone out there,” he said.
Winter said years of local experience have either left or been pushed out, and he believes that is not right.
RDOS Says Emergency Response Remains in Place
In a statement, the regional district said it continues to provide emergency response through its own fire departments, the B.C. Wildfire Service and mutual aid agreements with neighbouring communities.
Thompson told the crowd that residents should have confidence in the firefighters and support systems still in place.
He said administrative issues should not be assumed to affect the ability of local departments to respond to emergencies.
Residents, however, say they still want more transparency about why several leadership changes have happened at once and how the district plans to maintain fire protection through the season.
News
Stay updated with the latest BC news stories, subscribe to our newsletter today.
SUBSCRIBE
© 2026 Innovatory Labs Inc. All rights reserved.
LINKS