The Bradley Creek wildfire has caused extensive damage to BC Hydro infrastructure, leaving thousands of customers without power in the Westside Road, Vernon and Spallumcheen areas.

Nearly 3,500 customers were initially affected by wildfire-related outages. On Sunday, BC Hydro restored electricity to some areas, reducing the number of impacted customers to approximately 1,700.

“Damage assessments at this point indicate that more than 150 pieces of infrastructure were damaged. We are waiting for BC Wildfire Service to provide us with clearance to enter the area to begin restoring power,” BC Hydro said in a statement.

The utility said it is working closely with BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) to ensure the safety of firefighters and crews operating in the area.

On Sunday, BC Hydro crews focused on the Westside Road corridor, removing damaged electrical equipment while supporting wildfire response efforts. Crews are also continuing to assess the extent of the damage caused by the fire.

According to BC Hydro, more than 100 distribution structures, including power poles and related equipment, have been damaged. The utility cautioned that additional damage could be identified as crews gain access to more affected areas.

With significant repairs required, BC Hydro said customers should prepare for extended outages.

“Customers in the Westside Road, Vernon and Spallumcheen areas should be prepared for prolonged outages while crews continue assessments and develop a restoration plan,” the utility said.

In a separate update, BC Hydro reported that transmission lines affected by wildfire activity in the East Kootenay region were restored at approximately 10 p.m. Sunday.