BC Wildfire Service, BC Parks, RCMP, Cathedral Lakes Lodge and the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Emergency Operations Centre (RDOS EOC) worked together to relocate approximately 80 people from the Cathedral Provincial Park area on Wednesday, August 16, 2023. Lodge guests, staff and campers were required to shelter-in-place during the evening of Tuesday, August 15, 2023.
The shelter-in-place recommendation was due to the road access being compromised. Fire behaviour, poor visibility, and debris on Ashnola Road made the road impassible.
Crews succeeded in clearing Ashnola Road on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, allowing a convoy of evacuees to travel safely to Keremeos early in the afternoon.