British Columbia含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 how some affected by the emergency are spending their holiday season:

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含羞草研究社業 DON含羞草研究社橳 THINK WE含羞草研究社橵E EVER BEEN STRONGER含羞草研究社�

Paul Zydowicz is among 13 members of the Wilson含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社渆clipsed含羞草研究社� everything else they experienced this year.

含羞草研究社淩egardless of what else happened in everybody含羞草研究社檚 lives, we just keep on going back and talking about the fire,含羞草研究社� Zydowicz said.

含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 a lot of associated stress, there含羞草研究社檚 a lot of trauma, there含羞草研究社檚 a lot of sadness, but I think overall, the community is pretty positive in our plans going forward.含羞草研究社�

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

含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 think we含羞草研究社檝e ever been stronger as far as the feeling of community.含羞草研究社�

Zydowicz said the holiday season will help people as they try to 含羞草研究社済o back to normal,含羞草研究社� but it含羞草研究社檚 hard to start from scratch.

含羞草研究社淎ll the Christmas decorations that aren含羞草研究社檛 there anymore, that you含羞草研究社檝e accumulated for 20, 30 years sometimes, and the older folks, longer than that,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淵ou can含羞草研究社檛 have those things your kids made 含羞草研究社� that used to hang on the tree every year.含羞草研究社�

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含羞草研究社檚 heard of insurance companies indicating it could be three or four years before some residents will be able to return home after rebuilding.

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

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.

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

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含羞草研究社業T含羞草研究社橲 JUST GONNA BE A LOT OF HARD WORK含羞草研究社�

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.

含羞草研究社淭he good news is we have a place now and get to see some family over the holidays and yeah, so that含羞草研究社檚 the silver lining I guess,含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檚 been somewhat overwhelming trying to deal with the preparations to rebuild, but over the holidays, they含羞草研究社檒l be spending time with family 含羞草研究社渁nd taking time to relax.含羞草研究社�

The stress of dealing with the area含羞草研究社檚 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.

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

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含羞草研究社楳AKING IT THROUGH, BUT NOT WITHOUT DIFFICULTY含羞草研究社�

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

The Salvation Army captain said she含羞草研究社檒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含羞草研究社檛 be so fortunate, said Hansen who is hearing from people who lost their homes in the wildfires who are struggling emotionally and financially.

含羞草研究社淔or me it was an inconvenience,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淲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.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淪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含羞草研究社檛 have those anymore,含羞草研究社� Hansen said.

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

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 pretty heartbreaking, heartbreaking stories that we含羞草研究社檙e hearing,含羞草研究社� said Hansen. 含羞草研究社淚t is difficult and I don含羞草研究社檛 think I含羞草研究社檒l play it down and say, 含羞草研究社榠t含羞草研究社檚 not that bad.含羞草研究社� People are making it through but not without difficulty.含羞草研究社�

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含羞草研究社楢 VERY DIFFERENT CHRISTMAS含羞草研究社�

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.

含羞草研究社淎nd it含羞草研究社檚 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.

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

But Brolund 含羞草研究社� who became a nationally known figure due to daily fire briefings and went on to address the United Nations 含羞草研究社� 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.

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

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

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

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PUMBA THE PIG 含羞草研究社楯UST LIVING HER BEST LIFE含羞草研究社�

Pumba the pig didn含羞草研究社檛 just survive when a wildfire swept over the Broken Rail Ranch in West Kelowna in August.

She含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社淒oorDashed her spaghetti,含羞草研究社� said Lawrie.

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

含羞草研究社淚 think she deserves that. She is a survivor,含羞草研究社� Lawrie said.

When the fire swept over the farm in August, Lawrie含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檛 survive.

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

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

Pumba含羞草研究社檚 daily routine involves lots of napping and when she is awake, she hangs out with other farm animals.

含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 kind of her day, she is very spoiled. She doesn含羞草研究社檛 have to work or anything,含羞草研究社� 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.

含羞草研究社淪he loves it. She含羞草研究社檚 very happy,含羞草研究社� said Lawrie. 含羞草研究社淪he含羞草研究社檚 really just living her best life.含羞草研究社�

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含羞草研究社檚 now too big to fit on the scale.

READ ALSO: West Kelowna ranch heart 含羞草研究社榖roken含羞草研究社� after losing property, beloved pig to fire

READ ALSO: 13 Wilson含羞草研究社檚 Landing firefighters lose their homes to McDougall Creek wildfire