Update: August 30 5:02 p.m.
Press release:
The Emergency Operations Centre is mobilizing all available resources to allow residents affected by the White Rock Lake Wildfire to safely return to their communities as soon as possible. However, this is not expected to be a quick process and the patience of residents is appreciated.
We have not had a confirmed recommendation from BC Wildfire Service to change any evacuation orders or alerts associated with the White Rock Lake Wildfire. In addition, we continue to work with the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, which is currently assessing the safety of Westside Road. The ministry has indicated that the road will remain closed until this work is complete.
“We understand that residents are anxious to know when they can get back into their communities,” says Corie Griffiths, Regional EOC Director. “But there is a lot of work that needs to be done across multiple agencies to ensure that these areas are safe before residents return.”
Examples of the additional work that the Regional District of the Central Okanagan (RDCO) and its partners need to complete include:
Given the comprehensive nature of the work that is needed across multiple agencies, we are not able to provide a timeline for all of this work. By midweek, it is anticipated that residents will be provided with a Return Home Guide and be invited to attend a Return Home Information Session.
At this time, the evacuation Order for 1,316 properties and 850 properties on Alert in the North Westside communities within the RDCO remain in place.
Update: August 27, 4:19 p.m.
BC Wildfire Service says the White Rock Lake wildfire remains active and out of control at an estimated size of 81,483 hectares. The slight decrease in size is due to further accurate mapping on the southeast flank.
Crews have seen positive progress along all flanks of the fire and are currently completing Danger Tree Assessments along the west flank of the fire in preparation for having military personnel commence patrolling in the area tomorrow.
The Evacuation Order for 1,316 properties and 850 properties on Alert, in the North Westside communities within the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, remains unchanged. Residents can visit cordemergency.ca/map to determine if their property is on Order or Alert.
Update: August 27, 9:49 a.m.
BC Wildfire Service says that the White Rock Lake Wildfire remains active and out of control with an estimated size of 82,000 hectares.
“Weather is cooperating with the efforts of BC Wildfire, and amazing work is being done by several agencies,” says Chief Alex Van Bruksvoort. “Dangerous areas are persistent, but are being dealt with daily and North Westside Fire Rescue firefighters continue to do patrols.
Please continue with your patience as we all work so hard to make your community safe for your return.”
The Evacuation Order for 1,316 properties and Alert for 850 properties, in the North Westside communities within the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, remains unchanged. Residents can visit cordemergency.ca/map to determine if their property is on Order or Alert.
Crews have confirmed that the wildfire has directly impacted 78 properties to date and the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre has contacted most Central Okanagan owners whose properties have sustained significant structural damage. Property assessment work is ongoing as conditions allow, and is subject to change as crews gain further access to affected areas.
Central Okanagan evacuees can find out more about Emergency Support Services by calling 250-469-8512 or by visiting the Central Okanagan ESS Reception Centre at 1480 Sutherland Avenue, Kelowna, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The following rules apply:
You can visit the Insurance Bureau of Canada for more information on the process of an insurance claim as a result of a BC wildfire at www.ibc.ca/ns/disaster/bcwildfire.
There are eligibility requirements for emergency support services. Homeowner or tenant insurance may provide greater support than the Emergency Support Services program. Check with your insurer to determine what may be available to you. For details on eligibility, see the Evacuee Living Assistance Policy (PDF, 378KB).
For more information about this wildfire, visit cordemergency.ca, sign up for e-updates, follow the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre on facebook.com/cordemergency or twitter.com/CO_emerg or call the information line at 250-469-8490.
Update: August 25, 5:08 p.m.
The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre will host an online virtual information session Thursday, Aug. 26 for residents and owners of properties located within the Regional District of Central Okanagan who are on evacuation order from the White Rock Lake wildfire.
The information session is intended to address questions from residents on evacuation order including those who have lost homes as we move from fighting the fire and returning people to their homes and forward into the community recovery phase. Any member of the public is also invited to attend:
Thursday, August 26
6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.
Livestream via the RDCO’s YouTube channel
View at www.youtube.com/regionaldistrict
Organizations including the RDCO, BC Wildfire, Insurance Bureau of Canada, BC Hydro, and A.L.E.R.T. will cover topics such as:
Residents are invited to submit questions online for the panel before Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021 at noon.
The ESS Reception Center will no longer have regular office hours at the reception centre at 1480 Sutherland Avenue in Kelowna. For further information on services and support please call 1-250-469-8512. To learn more about the provincial Emergency Support Services program, please go to ess.gov.bc.ca.
For more information about this wildfire, visit cordemergency.ca, sign up for e-updates, follow the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre on facebook.com/cordemergency or twitter.com/CO_emerg or call the information line at 250-469-8490.
Update: August 24, 4:29 p.m.
BC Wildfire Service says that the White Rock Lake Wildfire remains active and out of control with an estimated size of 80,951 hectares.
The Evacuation Order for 1,316 properties and Alert for 850 properties, in the North Westside community within the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, remains unchanged. Residents can visit cordemergency.ca/map to determine if their property is on Order or Alert.
Crews have confirmed that the wildfire has directly impacted 78 properties to date.
Communities that have incurred damage, which remain on Evacuation Order, include:
Communities with no reports of major structural damage, which remain on Evacuation Order, include:
At this time, the Emergency Operations Centre has reached out to most Central Okanagan residents whose properties have sustained significant structural damage. Property assessment work is ongoing as conditions allow, and is subject to change as crews gain further access to affected areas.
Residents under an Evacuation Order or Alert must register with Emergency Support Services even if they do not require support with accommodations. Registration ensures residents can be contacted in the event of significant damages to their property. While there is not a specific time-frame for when evacuation orders will be lifted, evacuees should expect that they will not be able to access their home until crews deem it safe to do so:
Hotspots and flare ups have continued almost daily, and more than 30 pieces of major equipment are active in the area, with suppression lines and bladders in place to support fighting the fire. Fire crews need unimpeded access to the area.
Crews continue to assess, identify and dispose of hazardous materials. There is no power and no potable water in the affected areas.
Crews are working to restore services to prepare for the time when it is deemed safe to return. BC Hydro is starting to repair power infrastructure.
Evacuated residents can call 1-833-498-3770 to register and access assistance, such as lodging and food, from Emergency Support Services. The ESS reception centre at 1480 Sutherland Avenue is open today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Registering with the ESS, even if you do not need support, provides a way for the EOC to contact property owners whose properties have been damaged. ESS support services have now been expanded to continue until Oct. 1 for those owners who do not have home insurance.
For more information about this wildfire, visit cordemergency.ca, sign up for e-updates, follow the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre on facebook.com/cordemergencyopen_in_new or twitter.com/CO_emergopen_in_new or call the information line at 250-469-8490.
Update: August 24, 12:31 p.m.
Updated: clarifies status of Upper Fintry - The BC Wildfire Service classifies the White Rock Lake Wildfire as active and out of control with an estimated size of 80,951 hectares.
The Evacuation Order for 1,316 properties and Alert for 850 properties remains unchanged until further notice for properties in the North Westside community within the Regional District of the Central Okanagan.
According to BC Wildfire, fire activity continues to be minimal along the south, west, and northern flanks; however, with warming temperatures, activity is anticipated to increase again over the course of the week, with winds of 10 to 15 km/h, gusting to 30 km/h from the east-northeast today. Temperatures are expected to get into the mid-20s by Wednesday.
To date, crews have confirmed that 78 properties have been directly impacted by the fire. Communities that have incurred damage, which remain on Evacuation Order, include:
And select properties in Upper Fintry that remain on Evacuation Order; most of Upper Fintry is on Evacuation Alert, please check our map at cordemergency.ca/map to determine which properties are on Order or Alert.
“North Westside Fire Rescue has continued patrols in all neighbourhoods overnight. We have been incredibly blessed to have multiple other fire departments support our community in hardening homes and extinguishing small spot fires during the day. BC Hydro has continued the power lines rebuild in and along Westside Road,” said Chief Alex Van Bruksvoort. “Please have patience as North Westside Fire Rescue supports all agencies in bringing this wildfire under control, as all of us have the end result in mind to bring all of you home to the North Westside.”
The Emergency Operations Centre was able to work with crews to escort residents whose homes were structurally damaged by the wildfire and conduct a tour along a pre-determined established safe route.
“Residents were very appreciative of having the chance to temporarily observe their properties; and while it goes without saying that it was an extremely difficult day for them, and all who were there to offer support, homeowners were grateful for the opportunity to begin the process of moving forward. Our hearts go out to them in this difficult time,” said Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre Public Information Officer Jodie Foster.
The EOC continues to reach out directly to residents whose properties were significantly damaged based on ongoing visual assessments of the area. At this time, most owners of properties that have sustained significant structural damage have been contacted. It is important for all residents under an Evacuation Order or Alert to register with Emergency Support Services even if they do not require support with accommodations. This registration is one of the ways to make sure they can be contacted in the event of significant damages to their property. Residents should note property assessment work is ongoing, and as conditions allow, and subject to change as crews gain further access to affected areas.
While there is not a specific time-frame for when evacuation orders will be lifted, evacuees should expect that they will not be able to access their home until crews deem it safe to do so:
Hotspots and flare ups have continued almost daily, there continue to be over 30 pieces of major equipment in the area, with fire suppression lines and bladders in place to support fighting the fire as it flares up. Fire crews need unimpeded access to the area.
Crews continue to assess, identify and dispose of hazardous materials. There is no power and no potable water in the affected areas.
Crews are working to restore services to prepare for the time when it is deemed safe to return. BC Hydro is starting to repair power infrastructure.
Evacuated residents can call 1-833-498-3770 to register and access assistance, such as lodging and food, from Emergency Support Services. The ESS reception centre at 1480 Sutherland Avenue is open today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Registering with the ESS, even if you do not need support, provides a way for the EOC to contact property owners whose properties have been damaged. ESS support services have now been expanded to continue until Oct. 1 for those owners who do not have home insurance.
For more information about this wildfire, visit cordemergency.ca, sign up for e-updates, follow the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre on facebook.com/cordemergency or twitter.com/CO_emerg or call the information line at 250-469-8490.
Update: August 23, 1:33 p.m.
The White Rock Lake wildfire is classified as out of control and remains at 80,745 hectares.
The Evacuation Order for 1,316 properties and Alert for 850 properties is unchanged for properties in the North Westside community within the Regional District of the Central Okanagan.
According to BC Wildfire conditions today for crews fighting the fire are expected to be favorable, with lower temperatures and lower humidity, but gusty winds are still forecast and fire behaviour could increase later in the day as a result.
“Another day passed yesterday without an incident, as all agencies continue their incredible hard work” said Alex Van Bruksvoort, Fire Chief North Westside Fire Rescue.” North Westside Fire Rescue continued their patrols through all neighbourhoods making sure homes and property were free of ignition sources. The Regional District of Central Okanagan and North Westside Fire Rescue continues to support the removal and feeding of pets and animals. Patience is something I am personally asking for moving forward, and please keep the faith as we’re doing absolutely everything, we can for all North Westside residents.”
BC Wildfire Services and provincial firefighting crews along with North Westside Fire Rescue crews and equipment will continue to defend pre-established containment lines above communities and protect structures. Structure protection personnel are continuing to action hot spots and do mop up work around interface areas. The drought level in this area is resulting in deep burning forest fuels, making it difficult to bring the area to full extinguishment.
The EOC has been calling residents whose properties were significantly damaged based on initial visual assessment of the area. At this time, the owners of most of the properties that have sustained significant structural damage have been contacted. It is important for all residents under an evacuation order or alert to register with Emergency Support Services even if they do not require support with accommodations. This registration is one of the ways to make sure they can be contacted in the event of significant damages to their property. Residents should note property assessment work is ongoing, and as conditions allow, and subject to change as crews gain further access to affected areas.
Residents whose properties are known to have suffered significant damage as a result of the fire are being offered a limited escorted bus visit throughout the day today. As the area remains an active fire zone and safety is of paramount importance, this will provide highly limited access to the area affected. All COVID protocols are being maintained. Only immediate members of family directly affected have been contacted to participate in these escorted site visits and only as conditions allow.
A Virtual town hall meeting for the owners of the approximately 70 properties directly affected by the fire is also being planned for later this week.
While there is not a specific time-frame for when evacuation orders will be lifted, evacuees should expect that they will not be able to access their home for an extended period of time.
The area on Evacuation Order remains closed to the public. The media will have the opportunity for an escorted tour of a limited portion of the impacted area- if fire conditions permit- this week as a way to provide more information to the public.
This continues to be an active fire zone and there are significant hazards in the area:
Evacuated residents can call 1-833-498-3770 to register and access assistance, such as lodging and food, from Emergency Support Services. The ESS reception centre at 1480 Sutherland Avenue is open today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Registering with the ESS, even if you do not need support, provides a way for the EOC to contact property owners whose properties have been damaged. ESS support services have now been expanded to continue until Oct. 1st for those owners who do not have home insurance.
For more information about this wildfire, visit cordemergency.ca, sign up for e-updates, follow the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre on facebook.com/cordemergency or twitter.com/CO_emerg or call the information line at 250-469-8490.
Update: August 22, 1:20 p.m.
While the White Rock Lake wildfire is less visible today, the 80,700 hectare fire remains active and out of control. The Evacuation Order for 1,316 properties and Alert for 850 properties remain unchanged for properties in the North Westside community within the Regional District of the Central Okanagan.
Overnight crews continued fire suppression activities into the early morning hours, including extinguishing hot spots. Today, the North Westside Fire Rescue, BC Wildfire Services and provincial firefighting crews are conducting fireguard.
The weather has been favorable, with cooler temperatures over the weekend supporting fire efforts. However, conditions remain extremely dry and crews are preparing for forecasted high winds later today.
“BC Hydro is on site today and working with fire crews to install new power infrastructure for the North Westside community,” said Alex Van Bruksvoort, Fire Chief North Westside Fire Rescue. “And as our crews work with provincial fire crews coming into the area today, we want the public to know that we are working hard in collaboration with all agencies involved. We know residents want to return home, and we are doing all we can to ensure this can happen when it is safe to do so.”
While there is not a specific time-frame for when evacuation orders will be lifted, evacuees should expect that they will not be able to access their home for an extended period of time.
Evacuees are reminded that they cannot access their properties while the Order is in place. Even in areas where the fire has passed through, embers can go deep into tree roots and flare up at any time. Avoiding the area ensures that emergency responders can effectively and safely perform their duties.
“This week our focus in the Emergency Operations Centre is to support residents who have lost their homes as they start the recovery process,” says Doug Gilchrist, Director, Central Okanagan Emergency Operations. “Fire conditions permitting, we will be doing this by coordinating a site visit with these home owners, providing a limited media site visit and we are also planning for a virtual town hall meeting for the owners of these approximately 70 properties.”
“We know there remains thousands of other residents deeply concerned for their homes. We ask for their patience and I can assure them we are working hard alongside crews on the ground and partner agencies to determine when it may be safe to return to their home,” says Gilchrist. “We understand the stress involved with the uncertainty that this fire is providing and will provide more detailed information as soon as it is available for the 1,300 evacuated properties.”
Nearly all property owners whose properties have sustained significant damage have been contacted directly. If residents have not received a call from the EOC it is determined that based on current conditions and initial assessment that their home has not been significantly damaged. That being said, not all areas have been able to be accessed due to the active fire and the possibility of hot spots and flare ups remain. It is anticipated that some homes may have sustained smoke and water damage, and that restoration work may be needed.
Evacuated residents can call 1-833-498-3770 to register and access assistance, such as lodging and food, from Emergency Support Services. The ESS reception centre at 1480 Sutherland Avenue is open today from noon until 6 p.m. and will be open tomorrow, Monday, August 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Registering with the ESS, even if you do not need support, provides a way for the EOC to contact property owners whose properties have been damaged.
For more information about this wildfire, visit cordemergency.ca, sign up for e-updates, follow the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre on facebook.com/cordemergency or twitter.com/CO_emerg or call the information line at 250-469-8490.
Update: August 21, 8:46 p.m.
Suppression activities continues on all flanks of the fire with a focus along Westside Road where the wildfire has impacted communities. Precipitation received throughout the morning today has helped to lessen fire activity, however not all areas of the fire received precipitation. This evening, temperatures will drop down to the low teens with relative humidity nearing 80%. Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy with scattered showers and southwest/west winds 15-25 km/hr gusting up to 40 km/hr.
Fire Operations Update
East flank: Crews and equipment will continue to defend pre-established containment lines above communities and protect structures. Structure protection personnel are continuing to action hot spots and mop-up around impacted interface areas. The Drought Code in this area of the fire is resulting in incredibly deep burning forest fuels making it difficult to bring this area to full extinguishment. Heavy equipment continues to work on re-establishing containment lines from the Terrace Mountain fire (2009) to tie into the guard at Stuart Lake. Heavy equipment is also working along the Bouleau FSR towards Bouleau Lake to open up the tree canopy along the road.
Northeast flank, south of Glenemma: Yesterday, crews continued with routine hand ignitions to secure the edge of the containment line, south of Irish Creek Road/west of Westside Road. As the fire progressed north along this flank, crews used this tactic to secure the edge of the control line. Heavy equipment continues construct guard from Irish Creek, working westward, and from Cedar Creek working eastward. Heavy equipment and crews are also constructing guard between Irish Creek and McGregor Creek to hold the line closer to the fire perimeter.
North flank: Patrol and mop-up from Adelphi FSR to Woods Lake, Grange FSR west to Douglas Road, from Biancotto Lake north to Paxton Lake, and north to Highway 97 continues. Today, the focus will be to complete mop-up operations around impacted neighbourhoods along the northern finger of the fire. There continues to be no growth along all fire perimeters of the northern finger north of Highway 97 and down towards Woods Lake. Firefighters are continuing with direct attack in this area, applying water directly to the fires edge and mopping up along containment lines. Heavy equipment operators continue with guard construction south of the powerlines, along McGregor FSR.
West flank: This flank of the fire continues to be observed by aerial resources. No growth has been observed along this flank over the past week. Today, crews will begin mop up along the Ingram FSR with support from heavy equipment to ensure the control line is well secured.
South flank: Aerial resources continue to monitor this flank of the fire.
Update: August 21, 3:04 p.m.
The White Rock Lake wildfire remains out of control and increased fire activity within the fire perimeter was visible last night on the east side of the fire. All evacuations Orders and Alerts remain unchanged for properties in the North Westside community within the Regional District of the Central Okanagan. While under active Evacuation Order residents cannot access their property, this includes by car and by water access.
Overnight crews from both the North Westside Fire Rescue and BC Wildfire Services continued suppression activities which included extinguishing hot spots. A small amount of rain early this morning was good news for fire crews, and the additional rain forecasted today will provide some relief, however it is important to remember that conditions are still considered to be very dry.
BC Wildfire services reports the fire to be an estimated 80,700 hectares. This slight decrease in size is a result of more precise mapping that has been done.
“We know residents want to get into the area to either return home or assess damages to their property, but we need to make sure it is safe to do this,” says Alex Van Bruksvoort, Fire Chief North Westside Fire Rescue. “The need for securing the fire areas couldn’t have been more evident last night. North Westside Fire Rescue while out on patrols came across an outbuilding on fire. It took over two hours to extinguish this fire due to the unknown, flammable products that were kept inside.”
“We are thankful to the community for their ongoing support and their patience in respecting Orders in place and RCMP checkpoints,” adds Van Bruksvoort.
In addition to fire crews on the ground, RCMP and a private security team are conducting ongoing patrols within the North Westside communities for continued safety. No other agencies or services are allowed within the area unless they have been cleared by Incident Command and having a specific need to be deployed there.
Contacting property owners
The Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) continues to contact the property owners whose properties have been identified to have sustained significant damage. Staff have been in touch with most property owners and are continuing to notify impacted property owners directly.
There remains a handful of homeowners that emergency support personnel have not been able to contact. It is important for all evacuated residents and property owners to register with Emergency Support Services at ess.gov.bc.ca even if they do not need assistance. This contact information is one way for the EOC to reach out to property owners in the event that initial assessments indicate their property has sustained significant damage.
We ask that property owners specifically in the following areas, the lower portion of Killarney Place, Homer Crescent and 9300 Block of North Westside Road, who have not already been in touch with the Emergency Operations Centre to contact us at 250-469-8490 to check on the status of their property. Also, if residents know of neighbours in this area who do not have access to internet, email or social media please ask them to call the Emergency Support Services, 1-833-498-3770 to register or to contact the EOC at 250-469-8490.
Initial escorted area visit for owners of damaged properties
Emergency Operations Centre staff are also contacting property owners of those that sustained significant damage to coordinate an initial escorted area visit, planned for Monday August 23 as long as fire conditions remain safe. Social distancing, hand sanitizing and limited number of people per bus will be in place to align with COVID-19 safety protocols. This visit is only for property owners whose properties have sustained significant damage. For privacy and safety reasons, no one else will be permitted to participate.
A follow-up media visit will be coordinated for Tuesday, August 24, as long as fire conditions remain safe to allow for this. This is still an active fire area under Evacuation Order. A media advisory will provided in the coming days directly to media outlets with information.
Emergency Support Services
Evacuated residents can call 1-833-498-3770 to register and access assistance, such as lodging and food, from Emergency Support Services. ESS reception at 1480 Sutherland Avenue is open today until 6 p.m. and will re-open tomorrow, on Sunday August 22, from noon to 6 p.m.
There has been a generous outpouring of support from the community. ESS has enough accommodation for evacuees at this time and offers of private accommodation cannot be coordinated at this time.
Residents in areas that are still under Evacuation Alert must remain ready to leave their home at a moment’s notice. They should be prepared to be away from their home for an extended period of time. This include pre-registering with ESS online at ess.gov.bc.ca, making arrangements for pets and family members with special needs and packing essential items such as medicines and important documents.
For a map of Evacuation Alerts and Orders in effect in the Central Okanagan, visit cordemergency.ca/map.
Residents can stay informed by signing up for e-updates at cordemergency.ca.
Update: August 19, 4:46 p.m.
Evacuation Alerts and Orders for properties within Central Okanagan West Electoral Area will remain in place overnight as the White Rock Lake wildfire has been active today and is still classified as out of control. A detailed map showing the present status of Orders and Alerts affecting properties within the RDCO is at cordemergency.ca/map.
Overnight, RCMP, structural fire crews and equipment from North Westside and the BC Wildfire Service will patrol throughout the fire department service area communities. They will be watching for and extinguishing any spot fires or hot spots that may occur.
Those who have been evacuated should ensure they are registered with Emergency Support Services, even if they don’t require assistance. The information provided is also useful if emergency officials need to get in touch with property owners. Register online at ess.gov.bc.ca or call 1-833-498-3770. The in-person reception centre at 1480 Sutherland Avenue in Kelowna is open until 6 this evening and will be open again tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Emergency Operations Centre staff continue to contact and field calls from those people whose properties sustained significant damage by the wildfire. Initial property assessments are being done once it is safe to do so. As the fire remains active, there are areas that have yet to be visited.
Residents in Alert areas should be prepared to leave their homes with short notice and for an extended period of time. This includes making arrangements for pets and packing essential items such as medicines and important documents.
Some ways residents can get prepared include:
Residents can stay informed by signing up for e-updates at cordemergency.ca.
Visitors from outside of the Central Okanagan should check DriveBC.ca to confirm highways are open before heading back home. Anyone wishing to check whether friends or family have been evacuated can use the “Find an address or place” search feature on the website at cordemergency.ca/map. Properties within the red outline are on Evacuation Order and properties within the amber outline are on Evacuation Alert.
For more information about this wildfire, visit cordemergency.ca, sign up for e-updates, or call the information line at 250-469-8490.
Original: August 19, 11 a.m.
Crew continue to patrol affected areas and action spot fires over the past 24 hours with crews remaining on site overnight. Cooler temperatures have provided some reprieve, however conditions remain extremely dry. The White Rock Lake fire is still classified out of control and continues to be active.
“Yesterday was a day of healing as a number of support agencies were escorted by North Westside Fire Rescue into the area,” says Alex Van Bruksvoort, Fire Chief North Westside Fire Rescue. “Pets were rescued, areas of damage were mapped and we were able to welcome residents back to areas that were taken off evacuation order and put on alert.”
Further assessment of properties in the Ewings Landing and Killiney areas within the Regional District of the Central Okanagan on the west side of Okanagan Lake was conducted yesterday and five additional properties have been identified as sustaining significant damage.
The Emergency Operations Centre has been working to contact all property owners whose properties have been significantly damaged in the fires. Staff have been in touch with most property owners and will continue to notify impacted residents directly.
It’s important for all evacuated residents to register with Emergency Support Services at ess.gov.bc.ca even if they do not need assistance as this is one way property owners will be contacted when there is an update on the status of their property and when it is deemed safe to provide escorted tours through the affected areas.
Evacuated residents can call 1-833-498-3770 to register and access assistance, such as lodging and food, from Emergency Support Services. ESS reception at 1480 Sutherland Avenue is open today from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
There has been a generous outpouring of support from the community. ESS has enough accommodation for evacuees at this time and offers of private accommodation cannot be coordinated at this time.
“North Westside Fire Rescue has been busy putting out many spot fires including a dock fire to save a boat on its lift and multiple trees and stumps. This is all work being done so we can allow residents back it once the area is safe,” says Van Bruksvoort.
Residents in alert areas are reminded to be ready to leave their home at a moment’s notice. They should be prepared to be away from their home for an extended period of time, pre-register with ESS online at ess.gov.bc.ca, make arrangements for pets and pack essential items such as medicines and important documents.
For a map of Evacuation Alerts and Orders in effect in the Central Okanagan, visit cordemergency.ca/map.
Residents can stay informed by signing up for e-updates at cordemergency.ca.
Visitors from outside of the Central Okanagan should check DriveBC.ca to confirm highways are open before heading back home. Anyone wishing to check whether friends or family have been evacuated can use the “Find an address or place” search feature on the website at cordemergency.ca/map. Properties within the red outline are on Evacuation Order and properties within the amber outline are on Evacuation Alert.
For more information about this wildfire, visit cordemergency.ca, sign up for e-updates, or call the information line at 250-469-8490.