B.C. family feels 'violated' after burglary during wildfire evacuation

When the threat of wildfire dissipated and people could return home, a family in Summerland B.C., was shocked to find their house in shambles.

Their house was not destroyed by the Bald Range wildfire, as they feared.

Instead, Mira Boucher says her home was ransacked by looters while her community was empty and vulnerable — with every single house vacant under the evacuation order.

"Unfortunately, when we opened the front door, and the kids rushed in, someone had clearly been through the house," said Boucher.

"The kids are doing their best, but it's very traumatic. Especially after the trauma that preceded that with the wildfire evacuation," she added.

She and her family had only just moved into their house in Summerland a few weeks before the Bald Range wildfire sparked, and many of their belongings were still in boxes.

From their balcony on Aug. 7, the Boucher family watched flames crest the nearby mountain before grabbing what they could and leaving.

B.C. declares provincewide state of emergency as wildfires force thousands out of homes

She said they had to flee quickly, in the middle of the night, with almost no notice.

"Just the clothes on your back, and a bag with some essentials," she said.

Boucher said after spending weeks on Vancouver Island while their community was placed under an evacuation order, her kids were eager to return home and see their rooms and belongings again.

"When we got to the bedrooms, you could see everything, every closet and dresser had been flipped out, thrown on the beds, thrown on the floor. They were looking for valuables anywhere that we might have stored them," said Boucher.

A door had been pried open, and small items including her kids’ piggy banks, gaming setups and sports gear were taken.

Her jewelry and computer — along with that of her husband Carl — were stolen, and personal documents like birth certificates were also gone.