UBC Okanagan Wildfire Response

In-person campus tours have been cancelled until Sept. 4. UBCO will continue to offer live, virtual campus tours. Students can book a tour online.

Faculty and staff should prepare for a full return to normal operations starting August 28. Employees are to work remote until then, follow the guidelines outlined in the Aug. 20, 2023 UBCO Global Message and only work on campus if it is crucial. If you must be on campus, please reach out to your supervisor to make arrangements and plan to let them know when you enter and leave campus. Anyone visiting campus should be prepared to evacuate quickly.

All regular scheduled service to the UBCO campus exchange has resumed, effective Tuesday, August 22, 2023.

Riders should visit bctransit.com for updates as many routes throughout the Okanagan have been impacted.

The priority is the wellbeing, safety and security of employees at the University. Discuss your specific work requirements with your Manager/Unit Head to come up initially with a short term plan and eventually a longer term plan. Managers are encouraged to be flexible and understanding while ensuring we meet the needs of the academic mission on the Okanagan campus. HR Advisors are available to support this planning process.

For most units, the week of August 21, 2023 is a remote work week. You are encouraged to discuss your circumstance and planning with your Manager/Unit Head to determine the requirements for your role. Effective the week of August 28, 2023, employees should be prepared to return to their regular work arrangements in Kelowna.

Seeking support through counseling services and Employee Assistance Programs to help cope with the stress and emotions from this situation. If you or your employees are experiencing an emergency or crisis and require immediate counselling services, call 1-866-424-0770 and select the emergency option to speak to a crisis counsellor. If you want to arrange a counselling session during this call, an appointment will be guaranteed within 24 hours. Employee & Family Assistance Program is also recommended.

If you do not think you will be able to pick up your belongings and return your room key by Thursday, August 24, please email Student Housing at information@housing.okanagan.ubc.ca so we can coordinate with you directly and address your specific needs.

Employees that were unable to work remotely due to the nature of their role were continued to be paid regardless of whether they were able to perform work for the week of August 21, 2023. Effective August 28, 2023, all employees are expected to return to their regular work schedule and locations. Please discuss any extenuating circumstances that may impact your ability to return to work with your Managers/Unit Heads.

If you have been displaced from your home or are facing financial challenges due to the wildfires, you can apply for Emergency Funding to request financial assistance through Enrolment Services.

Effective August 23, the Provincial State of Emergency & Travel Restrictions for Kelowna was lifted. Restrictions are still in place for West Kelowna. Learn more at emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca

UBCO has partnered with Places4Students to provide an online collection of local housing options. You can add your property as a short-term or long-term listing.

UBCO has partnered with Places4Students to provide an online collection of local housing options. You can search for short-term or long-term accommodations

Students that were evacuated can return to residence; however, they may not be in the same room as they were during the summer. Please email Student Housing at information@housing.okanagan.ubc.ca if you have questions.

You may return to campus to collect your belongings at any time. The Student Housing Desk at Nechako is once again staffed 24/7.

Please contact your instructors or the Dean’s office to discuss your situation.

Students seeking support for counselling services to help cope with the stress and emotions from this situation can access counselling services available through the campus, or access wellness resources 24/7 through the Aspiria UBC Student Assistance Program.

It’s recommended that individuals, especially those considered to be high risk, stay indoors in air-conditioned spaces with limited entry of outdoor air to reduce exposure to fine particulate matter, and to keep monitoring their medical condition. Learn more by visiting hse.ok.ubc.ca

Student employees that were unable to work remotely due to the nature of their role were continued to be paid for their normal hours regardless of whether they were able to perform work for the week of August 21, 2023. Effective August 28, 2023, all student employees are expected to return to their regular work schedule and locations. Please discuss any extenuating circumstances that may impact your ability to return to work with your Managers/Unit Heads.

Faculty and staff should prepare for a full return to normal operations starting August 28. Employees are to work remote until then, follow the guidelines outlined in the Aug. 20, 2023 UBCO Global Message and only work on campus if it is crucial. If you can’t work remotely, please reach out to your supervisor to make arrangements and plan to let them know when you enter and leave campus. Anyone visiting campus should be prepared to evacuate quickly.

Given this unpredictable and rapidly evolving situation, we ask that you delay plans to travel to Kelowna until as close to the start of term as possible. Classes will begin on September 5. For students living in residence, move-in day will proceed on September 3. Contact your airline or travel provider to explain your situation and request a complimentary or reduced fee to change your travel date. Many airlines are offering complimentary rescheduling of flights into the area due to the recent airport closure and resulting flight delays.

International students can contact the Global Engagement Office for additional support through ubco.global@ubc.ca.

Please rest assured that we will work closely with those impacted to ensure they have the flexibility they require to start the school year successfully.

Once you have confirmed your travel arrangements, if your arrival date is after the start of the term, we encourage you to do the following:

• Log in to Canvas (UBC’s learning management system) using your Campus Wide Login (CWL) to review course resources your instructors have made available;
• Reach out to your course instructors to explain your situation and seek guidance; and
• Contact student advising if you require additional information or resources.

If you have been displaced from your home or are facing financial challenges due to the wildfires, you can apply for Emergency Funding to request financial assistance through Enrolment Services.

No. Power to all critical infrastructure and ventilation systems has been operational.

Given the unpredictable and rapidly evolving situation with the wildfires, temporary remote work arrangements were implemented for the week of August 21, 2023. Effective August 28, 2023, all employees are expected to return to their regular work schedule and locations. Please discuss any extenuating circumstances that may impact your ability to return to work with your Managers/Unit Heads.

Many people have been asking us how they can help students who have been displaced and distressed by these events. Gifts to the UBC Okanagan Student Emergency Assistance Fund will help provide financial support to these students. Donations can be made at give.ubc.ca/projects/ubc-okanagan-student-emergency-assistance-fund/

Most food services will resume operation starting August 28. Please visit food.ok.ubc.ca to see what’s open on campus.

The Kelowna International Airport has had airspace restrictions in place since August 18 to support aerial firefighting in Kelowna. Passengers are asked to check their airline for updated information about their flight status. More information can be found at ylw.kelowna.ca.

UBCO has been testing the air quality in campus buildings daily. The levels of PM2.5 (the main air contaminant associated with negative health outcomes) is low in indoor spaces on campus. The recommendation from Health, Safety and Environment is to continue regular indoor work activities. Learn more at hse.ok.ubc.ca

All essential research facilities remain functional and steps have been taken to ensure the maintenance of all critical research supplies and materials. Detailed communications have been sent to users of each facility regarding status and plans.

Campus operations will resume starting August 28. However, some departments and services may have limited staff due to evacuation orders and alerts. This may limit their hours of operation. Please visit their website for the most up to date information.

All air coming into campus buildings through the air intakes is filtered. Additional air purifiers have been placed in areas based on assessments, and are not available upon request. To ensure that the air-handling systems can work efficiently, please keep all windows and doors to the outside closed. Learn more at hse.ok.ubc.ca

Move-in day will continue as planned on September 3. At this time, we are unable to accommodate early arrivals in student housing. We appreciate that there are exceptional situations that may require support. If this applies to you please reach out to us directly at arrivalexceptions.ubco@ubc.ca and we will be glad to work with you.

International students can contact the Global Engagement Office for additional support through ubco.global@ubc.ca.

Effective Friday, August 25, the daycare on campus resumed operations.

The Central Okanagan Emergency Centre will provide updates on the evacuation status of neighbourhoods across the region, including UBCO. You can find the most up-to-date information at cordemergency.ca.

Create orientation will proceed on September 4 and additional support will be available through the Weeks of Welcome events.

On August 21, the difficult decision was made to cancel Jump Start. Refunds will be processed in September. Students will be contacted with information about their refund once available.

Classes will begin as originally scheduled and in person on Sept. 5, 2023. We appreciate that there are many students, faculty and staff who remain under evacuation order or have been required to delay travel which will impact their start to the school year. We will work closely with those impacted to ensure they have the flexibility to start the semester off successfully.

For up-to-date schedule information for all Heat teams, please visit goheat.ca.

We understand the news of cancelling Jump Start is disappointing to many students. We hope students will take advantage of our other orientation and welcome programs to help support their transition to UBC Okanagan this fall: https://students.ok.ubc.ca/new-to-ubc/orientations/welcome-activities/