UPDATE: 6:07 p.m.
The City of West Kelowna is re-opening some of its indoor recreation facilities.
The following facilities will re-open on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023:
- Multi-Sport Centre;
- Johnson Bentley Memorial Aquatic Centre;
- Jim Lind Arena;
- Royal LePage Place Arena.
UPDATE: 5:29 p.m.
The evacuation alert for the following properties in Westbank First Nation IR#10 has been rescinded:
- 2141 CAMPBELL PL
- 2145 CAMPBELL PL
- 2153 CAMPBELL PL
- 2157 CAMPBELL PL
- 2161 CAMPBELL PL
- 2163 CAMPBELL PL
- 2169 CAMPBELL PL
- 2183 CAMPBELL PL
- 2189 CAMPBELL PL
- 2195 CAMPBELL PL
- 2035 CAMPBELL RD
- 2050 CAMPBELL RD
- 2143 CAMPBELL RD
An alert may need to be reissued if that is deemed necessary the process will re-commence.
Residents are asked to stay up to date through the CORD emergency site and also subscribe to receive e-updates.
Residents are also reminded to please stay off the lake north of the William R. Bennett Bridge to allow unhindered access to BC Wildfire Service aircraft.
For more information, contact the information line at 250-469-8490 (local) or 1-877-569-8490 (toll-free).
UPDATE: 5:25 p.m.
An Evacuation alert for the following properties in the Casa Loma area of West Kelowna have been rescinded:
- ALICE RD
- BENEDICK RD
- CAMPBELL RD
- CASA GRADE DR
- CASA LOMA RD
- CASA PALMERO DR
- CASA RIO DR
- LUCINDE RD
- ZDRALEK OVE
An alert may need to be reissued if that is deemed necessary the process will re-commence.
Residents are asked to stay up to date through the CORD emergency site and also subscribe to receive e-updates.
Residents are also reminded to please stay off the lake north of the William R. Bennett Bridge to allow unhindered access to BC Wildfire Service aircraft.
For more information, contact the information line at 250-469-8490 (local) or 1-877-569-8490 (toll-free).
UPDATE: 3:55 p.m.
The following properties in the Lenz Road and Rose Valley areas, that were previously on an evacuation order have been downgraded to an evacuation alert.
ROSE MEADOW DR
ROSE ANNE CRT
MCDOUGALL RD
ROSE TREE RD
ROSEALEE LANE
WESTLAKE RD
ROSE HILL PL
ROSEWOOD CRT
JOKMAR CRT
ROSEWOOD DR (EXCLUDING 1500 & 1550 ROSEWOOD DR)
ROSERIDGE CRT
ROSE ABBY DR
ROSEALEE CRT
ROSEMARY CRT
ROSEFIELD DR
1830 SHANNON LAKE RD
1620 STEVENS RD
2289 BARTLEY RD
2229 BARTLEY RD
LENZ RD (SOUTHSIDE)
2100 WESTLAKE RD
As well properties on evacuation order in the Tallus Ridge and Tuscany Drive area are being rescinded and placed evacuation alert:
TALLUS RIDGE DR
COBBLESTONE RD
PEBBLE PL
STONE GROVE CRES
CANYON CREST DR
CANYON CREST LANE
RIDGEMOUNT DR
PINNACLE RIDGE DR
TUSCANY DR
BOULDER LAKE BLVD
2640 ASQUITH RD
2616, 2672, 2750 SHANNON LAKE
Residents of properties on evacuation alert must be prepared to leave their properties at a moment’s notice and be away from home for an extended period.
Areas and roads under an evacuation order remain closed to the public.
______
UPDATE 12:15 p.m.
For the second consecutive day, a planned ignition will take place at the McDougall Creek wildfire.
After Thursday’s planned ignition was 20 hectares in size, Friday’s is much bigger at 130 hectares. It was be a aerial ignition that ranges from the top of Bald Range area and work its way 11 kilometres south.
As part of its response to the McDougall Creek wildfire the BC Wildfire Service plans to conduct an approx. 130-hectare aerial ignition from the top of the Bald Range area, south to roughly 11km on the Bear Main to remove unburnt fuel and secure control lines. pic.twitter.com/IMaS3cpUrO
— Central Ok Emergency (@CO_Emerg) August 25, 2023
The purpose of this is to remove unburnt fuel and create control lines.
“It allows us to bring the fire perimeter down to control lines and creates a more uniform and continuous fire edge which is easier for crews to use direct attack methods on and extinguish hot spots to strengthen control lines and achieve containment,” said BC Wildfire Services in a tweet.
Original
The McDougall Creek wildfire remains out of control and a wildfire of note as the sun rises on Friday, Aug. 25.
Despite lower fire activity in recent days, it continues to experience rank 2 and 3 (low to moderate) fire activity. On Thursday, both the Walory Creek fire in Kelowna and Clarke Creek fire in Lake Country were changed to being held, meaning they are less likely to continue to spread.
However, hundreds of properties in West Kelowna and Westbank got to go home on Thursday night and many evacuation orders were downgraded to alerts.
Being on alert means these residents can go home but still must be ready at a moment’s notice to leave again. For a map of evacuation orders and alerts, visit cordemergency.ca/map.
On Thursday, BC Wildfire Services executed a 20-hectare planned ignition at the south flank of the fire, northwest of the Shannon Lake Golf Course.
“The purpose of the planned ignition is to remove unburnt fuel in an intentional way to secure the control line and fire,” said the BC Wildfire Service. “Based on current conditions this unburnt fuel has the potential to burn on its own in a significantly more active way.”
Central Okanagan Emergency Services (CORD) will be providing an update on Friday but it will come via press release, instead of a press conference like the last few days.
There are 84 properties in West Kelowna and the Westbank First Nation that suffered damage as a result of the wildfire, and 90 in the RDCO’s West electoral area.
The McDougall Creek fire in West Kelowna is part of the Grouse Complex, which also includes the Walroy Lake wildfire in Kelowna and the Clarke Creek wildfire in Lake Country.
Transport Canada and the BC Wildfire Service prohibit the use of drones of any size near a wildfire. The operation of any aircraft not associated with fire suppression activities within a radius of five nautical miles around a fire, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones), is illegal. Anyone found interfering with wildfire control efforts may face penalties up to $100,000 and or up to one year in jail.
Black Press Media will keep updated throughout the day.
READ MORE: Evacuation orders lifted, roads open, return to north Kelowna begins
@cunninghamjordy
jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com
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