It's important now more than ever to buy local produce

As smoke clears, many farms are finding their produce has ripened very quickly due to the intense bouts of heat.

With many of their workers being evacuated, bringing in the harvest has been particularly difficult.

“It's been challenging,” Paynter's Fruit Market & Farm owner Jennay Oliver told Kelowna10 “We've had all the smoke, so we've had reduced hours and all of our staff, and it's been hard to get things harvested.”

With the fire shutting down the farmer’s market as well, many have struggled to get their produce in the hands of customers.

Oliver said that it’s important now more than ever to shop local.

“Everybody is putting lots of sales on because there [are] so many crops ripening right now,” she said. “It is perfect time to come out and definitely support your local farm.”

She recommends checking out the Westside Farm Loop as a way to find growers in the area, and get the produce essentially right off the tree.