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Evacuations lifted for parts of Oliver

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OLIVER (NEWS 1130) – Some residents are now being allowed to return home in Oliver.

The BC Wildfire Service said the Wilsons Mountain fire raging one kilometre north of Oliver had grown to over 300 hectares by Saturday afternoon.

Another blaze, the Testalinden Creek fire, ignited Friday evening about seven kilometres south of Oliver scorched over 1,500 hectares.

An evacuation order for around 260 homes has been downgraded to an evacuation alert for the Wilsons Mountain fire while an evacuation order for the Testalinden Creek fire remains in place.

Emergency Social Services has also been activated at the Oliver Community Centre to help deal with evacuees.

Fire Information Officer Kayla Pepper says the weather has not been helping.

“During the initial stages of response, due to the strong winds pushing the fire downslope (which is why it reached the community) air tankers were unable to assist. They couldn’t get off the tarmac due to safety concerns.”

Oliver Mayor Ron Hovanes is at a reception centre where the hundreds of people who have been evacuated are staying.

He says this has been a very difficult time for everyone and describes the scene.

“Fire was within metres of their backyards. Pictures, it was very, very dramatic. The flames, the smoke was just intense and of course we had that severe wind storm yesterday that just added to everything.”

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