The District of Summerland in B.C. has had to bypass its water treatment plant after the Bald Range wildfire, leading to an ongoing boil-water advisory that's keeping some local restaurants closed. For Zias Stonehouse Restaurant, this means they can't operate normally without safe water, and co-owner Shannon Ferlizza estimates that they'll have to throw out a large amount of food worth thousands of dollars. The closure is having a significant impact on the restaurant's finances, as well as the livelihoods of its employees, who are eager for the business to reopen. Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes notes that small businesses in the area have taken a huge hit due to the wildfire and subsequent boil-water advisory.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Summerland, B.C., is still recovering from the Bald Range wildfire, but some local businesses are facing a new challenge: an ongoing water advisory that's keeping them closed. Specifically, Zias Stonehouse Restaurant and its sister business, Little Burgundy, can't reopen without safe, treated water. Co-owner Shannon Ferlizza explained that they need to flush pop lines and wash vegetables, and also buy new food products because people can't drink untreated water. As a result, the restaurant is at risk of wasting a large quantity of food stored in its walk-in freezer. The closure is not only affecting the business's finances but also the livelihoods of its employees. Ferlizza estimated that the situation is getting worse by the day and expressed frustration over the lost work and resources.
Written for “Summerland Water Crisis” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score +0.35 for article 1731 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-08-31
Summerland, B.C., is trying to get back on its feet after the Bald Range wildfire, but for some local businesses, the disruption is far from over.
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disruption → try → businesses
An ongoing water boil advisory is keeping restaurants like Zias Stonehouse Restaurant from reopening, adding another financial blow during what should be one of the busiest times of the year.
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what → keep → year
The fire did not destroy Zias, but the restaurant still cannot operate normally without safe, treated water.
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restaurant → destroy → water
“We wash all our vegetables, all the pop lines need to be flushed.
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lines → wash → vegetables
We will have to buy new product and not to mention people need water to drink,” said co-owner Shannon Ferlizza.
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Ferlizza → have → water
The closure is also putting food at risk of being wasted.
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closure → put → risk
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“This is our walk-in freezer that has all this food that we probably are going to have to throw out,” Ferlizza said.
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Ferlizza → get → that
And that means the financial impact is growing by the day.
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impact → mean → day
Just think, all this work grating all this cheese and it’s all going to go to the dump,” she said.
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she → think → dump
For Ferlizza, getting Zias reopened is also about making sure her employees can financially get through the shutdown.
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employees → get → shutdown
“They all want us to reopen as soon as possible.
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us → want → ?
They want to feel like they have a job and a place they call home,” she said.
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she → want → job
Summer is a critical time for many small businesses in Summerland, and losing even part of the season can have serious consequences.
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losing → lose → consequences
“Small businesses in town are decimated.
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businesses → decimate → town
They have taken a huge hit,” said Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes.
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Holmes → take → hit
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Montreal → fill → Jones
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Rise → prompt → monitoring
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sector → see → counting
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uncertain
Kinew → go → customers
Aviana Ferlizza, an employee at Zias, says the stakes are high for local businesses.
“For a lot of places it could mean closing their doors forever,” she said.
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she → say → doors
The boil-water advisory was put in place after the wildfire forced the District of Summerland to bypass its water treatment plant, allowing untreated water into the municipal system.
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wildfire → boil → system
For restaurants, that means reopening is not as simple as unlocking the doors.
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reopening → mean → doors
Without safe water, basic operations like food preparation, cleaning and providing drinking water become a major hurdle.
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operations → provide → water
And as Summerland works toward reopening, businesses are left waiting, hoping there is still enough summer left to recover.
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businesses → work → reopening
