A 69-year-old man is facing a challenging path to recovery after sustaining severe burns in a camper van fire near Nanaimo, B.C., one month ago. Jim Pera was residing in a dilapidated 1976 motorhome in a secluded area outside the city when the fire broke out on December 9, 2025. He was transported by air ambulance to a hospital in Victoria.
According to his daughter, Britney Marshall, Pera suffered burns on 40% of his body, necessitating three skin grafting surgeries and a tracheotomy. Marshall mentioned that while her father is alive and showing signs of healing, the road to recovery will be lengthy.
After spending 28 days in intensive care, Pera has been transferred to the burn unit at Royal Jubilee Hospital, where Marshall has been by his side, commuting between Nanaimo and Victoria to assist in his care. She expressed concern about her father’s situation, highlighting the challenges he has faced after moving into the RV due to health issues from his construction career. Despite efforts to maintain the camper van, it eventually stopped functioning, leading Pera to park it in a remote area where the fire incident occurred.
Marshall emphasized the difficulties her father encountered living in the RV and the financial constraints that pushed him into that living situation. She acknowledged the unfairness of individuals who have worked tirelessly throughout their lives facing such circumstances. The fire incident, likely exacerbated by the use of propane tanks for heat and power, has left Pera with nothing, prompting Marshall to seek support for his recovery and eventual housing post-hospital discharge.
The family continues to navigate the challenges ahead, with Marshall providing updates on social media and coordinating fundraising efforts to help her father rebuild his life from scratch, as he lost all his belongings in the fire.
