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All the news from all the sources for Kelowna.
Wildfire smoke, changing evacuation areas and a week of important local updates lead Friday’s Grapevine. Some call our area the Smokanagan.
Smoke over Okanagan Lake is the most visible sign of a serious regional fire week. As of Thursday, Aug. 6, evacuation orders remained in place along Westside Road around the Quilpituk Creek wildfire. More than 2,200 properties were under order and hundreds more were on alert. North of Kelowna, the Bradley Creek fire near Vernon had also caused extensive damage.
Conditions can change quickly. Residents should use the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations map for current evacuation boundaries and instructions, not social media screenshots. People travelling north should also check highway conditions before leaving.
Smoke is expected to linger through Friday. Keep windows closed when air quality is poor, run a clean air filter if available and reduce strenuous outdoor activity. Older adults, children, pregnant people and anyone with heart or lung conditions should take extra care.
Live view across Okanagan Lake from the downtown sails. Click image to refresh. The image updates at the source ~ Castanet
Emergency map →
Westside fire update →
Wildfire smoke health guide →
A ribbon cutting marked completion of the Airport Way section and 3.2 kilometres of trail between Old Vernon Road and the Lake Country boundary.
The landmark hotel celebrated its centennial with a sold-out long weekend, honouring a century of waterfront hospitality, local stories and Kelowna history.
Tourism operators say the answer depends on the destination. Visitors should confirm accommodations, road access, air quality and emergency alerts before travelling.
The highway reopened between Old Kamloops Road and Salmon River Road with a 60 km/h limit. Drivers are asked to slow down and not stop.
Kelowna residents can apply for matching grants to bring neighbours together through small projects, events and improvements planned for this fall.
WestJet and its flight attendants reached a tentative deal, ending the disruption. Travellers should still check their flight status while schedules fully recover.
Canada’s daily national average is currently 153.3/L. Kelowna drivers can compare that with local pump prices to see whether we are paying more, less, or just enjoying the usual Okanagan “scenic surcharge.”
Kelowna gas prices →
Canadian average gas prices →
Normals: High +27°C, low +12°C. | Sunrise 5:35 a.m. Sunset 8:32 p.m.
Friday is expected to reach +34°C with widespread smoke and an overnight low near +15°C. Saturday should reach +30°C, followed by +29°C Sunday.
Kelowna’s AQHI reached the high-risk range Thursday and may spike into very high risk when smoke thickens. Check the live reading before outdoor work or exercise.
Forecasters warned that dry lightning and hot weather could start new fires across the Interior. Dry strikes are especially dangerous because little useful rain follows.
📘 City Payrolls... →
📘 2026 FINANCIAL PLAN Preliminary Budget: PDF File →
📘 Read the New B.C. Budget 2026 →
📘 Kelowna’s 2026 Citizen Survey →
There was no regular council meeting this week following the B.C. Day holiday. Attention is turning to Kelowna’s Oct. 17 municipal election.
The plan is a roadmap for parks, trails, recreation and waterfront access. Its main goals are more parks close to home, better connections between public spaces and a wider range of recreation options.
The running list for mayor and council is growing as nomination season approaches. Mayor Tom Dyas has said he will seek re-election.
Prospective mayor and council candidates can learn about the job at City Hall sessions on Aug. 12 and 19 at 6 p.m., with online access available.
Interest is building early, with nearly 30 nomination packages collected during the first week they were available for Kelowna’s fall election.
ForChange says it will research council hopefuls and recommend eight candidates to voters before the Oct. 17 election.
A new Rockets coach, a huge Lions rushing night and a busy local race weekend headline the sports calendar.
Kelowna hired longtime Flin Flon Bombers head coach Mike Reagan as an assistant. He brings 19 years of SJHL experience and a recent league championship.
Thursday, July 30, 2026
B.C. beat Winnipeg 35-19 as Zander Horvath ran for 191 yards and three touchdowns. The Lions host Hamilton Saturday, Aug. 8 at 4 p.m. PT.
Vancouver enters 2026-27 with Manny Malhotra coaching, the Sedins as co-presidents and several veteran additions, including Brendan Gallagher and Jamie Oleksiak.
August 8–9, 2026
Package pickup and the race expo run Saturday, with national championship racing and community events taking over City Park Sunday.
Sunday, August 2, 2026
The Sun Devils captured the 11U AAA provincial baseball championship with a final win over Abbotsford, finishing a strong 23-6 season.
Prospera Place, 1223 Water St, Kelowna, BC V1Y 9V1.
Sep 2: “Weird Al” Yankovic – Bigger & Weirder 2026 Tour
The photo was taken at the corner of Benvoulin Rd and Munson Rd. The building you see in the picture was a fruit stand. The place has been rented out for years, but now has been purchased by an established Kelowna Veterinary clinic as a second location.
When you drive by this corner today there is a large sign on the old fruit stand that reads ‘bar B cue’. It is not a new diner. It is a movie set. The current owners are waiting for paperwork approval for their large animal vet clinic. So they rented the buildings and land out for the film, for a few weeks.
About the movie: Angie Harmon Returns for ‘Buried in Barstow 2’ as Lifetime Sequel Sets Up in Kelowna, BC.
Lifetime is moving forward with a sequel to its 2022 thriller movie of the week, and the Okanagan region of British Columbia is about to get a mob-connected visitor. “Buried in Barstow 2” is in development with production scheduled to begin in July 2026, filming in Kelowna and on Westbank First Nation #9 land in the Regional District of Central Okanagan.
If you see the original “Buried in Barstow”, let us know how it was.
August 6–8, 2026
The fifth annual festival brings classical guitar performances and learning opportunities to St. Michael and All Angels Cathedral.
August 6–9, 2026
A family-friendly stage production celebrates the show’s 20th anniversary at the Kelowna Community Theatre.
Premieres August 7, 2026
Kelowna’s Kaelen Berg, 23, is one of 17 Canadian singles appearing on Crave’s new reality series, Temptations Under the Sun: Cyprus. The 10-episode series includes challenges, surprises and plenty of temptation.
August 7–8, 2026
Free live music fills Kerry Park Friday and Saturday evening, with throwback songs and waterfront views from 7 to 10:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 8, 2026
Shop local makers, crafters and small businesses at Kerry Park from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday, August 8, 2026
More than 30 alternative artists and makers gather at the Rotary Centre for the Arts beginning at 11 a.m.
Available anytime
This free browser game lets you roam across a 3D version of British Columbia as Sasquatch. Explore 30 historic towns, mountain ranges, roadside stops and hidden landmarks.
August 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2026
Reel Okanagan brings four evenings of independent films, documentaries, local productions and filmmaker talks to the Mary Irwin Theatre.
July 30–September 27, 2026
Kelowna Art Gallery presents oversized handmade versions of familiar objects by Inuk artist Tarralik Duffy. The exhibit opens this long weekend and runs through September.
The Kelowna Folk Roots Music Society brings Canadian folk, roots and acoustic performers to local stages. Visit its website to see upcoming concerts and buy tickets.
Saturday, August 8, 2026
Local farmers, food vendors and craftspeople fill the market at 1700 Dickson Avenue from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ongoing event listings
The Box Office is a handy local hub for Kelowna shows, concerts, comedy, dance, theatre, sports, and festivals. Worth checking before saying, “There’s nothing going on.”
Bernie’s Cinema’s popular Toonie Tuesday series, with classic and crowd-pleasing films for just $2.
Upcoming Movie lineup: It’s Complicated, The Full Monty, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Sideways, Love Actually.
The RCA calendar is packed with theatre, live music, and gallery shows throughout the week.
From tastings to winemaker dinners, Okanagan wine events continue year-round.
Browse events → Wine Festivals
Local bands, touring acts, and pub shows are heating up this month.
What’s playing → Live Music Kelowna
South Okanagan Events Centre
853 Eckhardt Ave. West
Penticton, BC V2A 9C4
Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
Four-time Grammy winner Lyle Lovett brings his Small Large Band to Penticton for an evening of music and storytelling. The Hello Darlins will open the show.
Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Canadian rocker Bryan Adams brings four decades of classic hits to the SOEC. The Roll with the Punches Tour also features special guest Lights.
Friday, October 23, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Brit Floyd returns with a full-scale tribute to Pink Floyd. The show features music from The Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall and other classic albums.
The Grapevine guide rounds up favourite ice cream and frozen treats from around Kelowna. →
False Bay Savoury Pies has opened at 2640 Pandosy Street, serving South African-inspired pies after its owners returned to Kelowna.
Main Street Brewing and Seabus Memes paired a lemon pilsner with a citrus sour to create a playful summer beer blend.
The U.S. sandwich chain opened Wednesday at 1575 Banks Road. It is the company’s 35th Canadian location and its first in British Columbia.
Tastings, winery dinners and summer vineyard events continue across the valley. One calendar saves a lot of hunting.
If you’re stuck in the “where should we eat?” loop, this helps. Tourism Kelowna has rounded up 74 local restaurants across the city.
From lakefront patios and wine bar gems to global flavours and casual comfort spots, it’s a solid master list for a great dining out experience.
Browse the full list → Tourism Kelowna
Inflammation is one of the body’s main defence systems. It helps fight infection, repair injuries and keep us alive. Once the danger has passed, the immune system should settle down and return to normal.
Sometimes it does not.
Low-level inflammation can remain active long after the original threat is gone. Researchers now believe this chronic inflammation may play a role in heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and other health problems linked to aging.
But inflammation is not simply good or bad. It is a complex warning and repair system involving hundreds of proteins and many types of immune cells. Trying to shut it down without knowing why it is active could weaken the body’s ability to fight infection.
One major clinical trial showed just how tricky this can be. An anti-inflammatory drug reduced heart attacks and strokes by about 15 per cent. It also appeared to reduce some cancer deaths. However, people taking the drug had a slightly higher risk of dying from infections and sepsis.
Researchers sometimes compare chronic inflammation to a road crew fixing a broken pipe. The repairs are needed, but the crew also creates noise, dust and traffic problems. Sending the workers home too early leaves the pipe leaking. Leaving them too long creates a new set of problems.
Aging adds another layer. Over a lifetime, immune cells are exposed to viruses, chemicals, pollution, stress, poor sleep and other strains. These cells may gradually become less effective at cleaning up damage. Scientists call this process “inflammaging.”
Lifestyle also seems to matter. Poor diet, inactivity, air pollution, toxins, stress and lack of sleep may affect how chronic inflammation develops. Still, there is no simple test that can tell most people exactly how inflamed they are, where the inflammation is located or what is causing it.
New treatments offer some hope. GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound appear to reduce inflammation in addition to helping with diabetes and weight loss. Patients have reported improvements in arthritis, chronic pain and other conditions. Scientists are still working out why this happens, and the drugs have not consistently helped conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Better testing may be coming. Researchers are developing wearable monitors that could track several inflammation-related proteins in real time, much like glucose monitors. This may eventually show how food, sleep, exercise and the environment affect each person differently.
For now, experts warn against chasing unproven supplements or using drugs off-label. The best advice remains surprisingly ordinary: eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, get enough sleep and work with your doctor. Inflammation may connect many diseases, but science is still learning how to control it without interfering with the vital work it does.
Read the full New York Times article →
Central Okanagan sales totalled 467 properties in July, down 2.7% from last year, while dollar volume rose 13.8% to $413.7 million. The median sale price reached $751,300, up 5.1%.
New listings fell 11.8% and active inventory dropped 10.4%. The average sale price jumped more sharply to $887,742, but a few high-value sales can move that figure quickly.
July brought fewer sales and fewer listings than a year ago, giving buyers time to compare while well-priced homes continued to move.
The East Kelowna winery and mansion is now listed at $5.749 million, less than half its original asking price.
As of Aug. 6, advertised insured rates included about 4.04% for a five-year fixed mortgage and 3.40% for a five-year variable mortgage.
Compare current mortgage rates →
Buyers still have plenty of choice, while sellers need to price for today’s market rather than the market they remember. The lemons in the listing photos can only do so much.
James Roffel’s videos offer quick local updates on listings, sales, price cuts and what buyers are doing right now.
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