Indigenous-owned resort in B.C.’s Shuswap region damaged in fire but band to rebuild

May 24, Chase, B.C. –  Fire has destroyed part of an Indigenous owned and operated lodge in the southern Interior but the Little Shuswap Lake Band says it is planning to rebuild.

A statement from the band’s chief, James Tomma, says flames tore through the guest wing of the Quaaout Lodge early Sunday but no one was seriously hurt, thanks to quick action by lodge staff and are firefighters.

Tomma says an investigation into the cause of the fire and extent of the damage is underway and the band is working to support its guests and employees.

He says the 30-year-old lodge and resort on the shores of Little Shuswap Lake, just east of Chase, B.C., is an “engine of economic development” for the 347-member band and a cultural heart of the community, and will be rebuilt.

The lodge expanded in 2007 to include the Talking Rock Golf Course, which was rated among the top-20 courses in the country in PGA-Canada rankings released in 2020.

Tomma says the resort will be closed while the fire investigation is completed, but updates will be provided when available.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2022.