West Kelowna Power Outage: More Than 3,000 Customers Lose Electricity After Bird Contacts Power Lines

A November 7, 2026, power outage affected 3,048 West Kelowna properties after a bird contacted BC Hydro wires. Crews were dispatched, but no restoration estimate was initially available.

West Kelowna Outage Affects More Than 3,000 Properties

More than 3,000 properties in West Kelowna, British Columbia, lost electricity on Saturday, November 7, 2026, after a bird contacted electrical wires, according to reporting by Castanet citing BC Hydro.

The outage began at approximately 1:22 p.m. and affected 3,048 properties. The impacted area extended from Gellatly north toward Shannon Lake Road. BC Hydro crews were reported to be on their way to assess the damaged equipment and work toward restoring electricity. At the time of the report’s 1:55 p.m. update, the utility had not provided an estimated restoration time.

The confirmed cause is important because the supplied article incorrectly attributes the incident to a downed power line and adverse weather. The reported cause was a bird making contact with the wires.

Separate Outage Reported in Nearby Peachland

A smaller, separate outage affected 37 properties in nearby Peachland. Castanet reported that a tree had fallen across a power line west of the bottom of Drought Hill during the overnight storm. Crews were attending that incident as well.

The two outages had different reported causes and should not be combined into one incident.

BC Hydro Restoration and Safety Advice

BC Hydro advised customers to check its official outage information for updates. The utility warns that damaged or fallen power lines must always be treated as live, even when they are not sparking or making noise.

Anyone who encounters a downed or damaged line should:

• Stay at least 10 metres away.

• Avoid touching the line or anything in contact with it.

• Report the emergency to 911.

• Check the BC Hydro outage map for restoration updates.

Customers can also report an outage by calling 1-800-224-9376.

Disclaimer

The West Kelowna outage affecting 3,048 properties was reported by Castanet on November 7, 2026, with BC Hydro identified as the source of the outage information. The reported cause was a bird contacting electrical wires, not a confirmed storm-related downed line. No restoration time was available in the 1:55 p.m. update. The Peachland outage was a separate incident.