Forest fire evacuation order near Kelowna lifted
Posted September 6, 2011 7:34 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
UPDATE: The evacuation order at Kelowna’s Bear Creek Park has been lifted. An alert remains in place.
EARLIER:
KELOWNA (NEWS1130) – A fire at Kelowna’s Bear Creek Park that has forced the evacuation of more than 100 homes is now 35 hectares and growing.
More than 500 people have had to leave and another 30 properties remain on alert.
No homes have been lost, but Provincial Fire Information Officer Maryanne Leach says the fire is not contained.
“Currently, we’ve been doing air-tanker drops on the fire and we’re using existing secondary roads in the area as containment lines. So we do have some retardant on the ground.”
Leach says crews haven’t been able to build any fire guards, and conditions in the area difficult. “We’re expecting a [temperature] inversion to hold today and keep the smoke down low to the ground, so it’s going to be quite smokey for sure. We’re also expecting gusty winds this afternoon which is not really good news.”
Conditions in Bear Creek Park and in the Kelowna area are described as very dry, with the fire danger rating in the high to extreme range.
The cause of the fire is unclear. Those who were evacuated have been moved to an emergency reception centre at the Lions Community Hall in the Westbank Town Centre.
If you’re trying to get in touch with people who may have been evacuated, you can call 1.250.469 8513.
