Evacuation order lifted for Central Okanagan residents on Westside Road

More residents displaced by the White Rock Lake wildfire can now go home.

The Regional District of Central Okanagan has rescinded an Evacuation Order for La Casa Lakeside Resort, Fintry, Upper Fintry and Shalal Road and properties north of and including 6409 Westside Road to La Casa.

Those residents will be on Evacuation Alert, meaning they must continue to be prepared to leave their homes on short notice should fire conditions change.

A detailed map showing the updated Evacuation Order and Alert area is available at www.cordemergency.ca/map.

The new Alert Area includes properties in communities along Westside Road from the south end of Valley of the Sun to north of and including 6409 Westside Road.

Returning residents should be aware electricity was off from Friday evening until BC Hydro was able to restore electrical service yesterday afternoon.

Residents should consider potential food safety, water and sewage disposal issues related to the loss of power during a wildfire. Interior Health has information residents may consider to stay food safe and urge ‘When in doubt, throw it out’. Specific food safety information is available on the Interior Health website:

• Food –www.interiorhealth.ca/YourEnvironment/Emergency/Wildfires/Documents/HP-FS-9055_Food%20Safety%20for%20Homeowners.pdf
• Water – www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthlinkbc-files/wildfire-its-effects-drinking-water-quality
• Sewage – www.interiorhealth.ca/YourEnvironment/HBE/Pages/Onsite-Sewerage-Systems.aspx

The Regional District of Central Okanagan has issued Water Quality Advisories for the Upper Fintry-Shalal Rd.-Valley of the Sun and Westshore Estates water systems due to the wildfire. A previous Water Quality Advisory for the Killiney Beach water system remains in place. Visit www.rdco.com/water for details.

Alert Rescinded

The previous Evacuation Alert has been removed for the Westside Road communities from north of Traders Cove to south of 6409 Westside Road. This Alert has also been removed for public lands north of Bear Lake Main and Esperon Creek Forest Service Roads to the western RDCO boundary. Visit www.cordemergency.ca/map for a detailed map.

Evacuation Order Continues, conditions remain unpredictable

The Evacuation Order continues for areas along Westside Road from the northern RDCO boundary to the south end of Valley of the Sun. The Order also includes a mostly rural area of forest service roads outside the boundary of the North Westside Fire Service Area to the west of Westshore Estates and includes public lands within the RDCO boundary north and west of the Valley of the Sun subdivision.

The White Rock Lake wildfire remains classified as out of control by the BC Wildfire Services.

While there has been reduced fire activity and rain these past few days, the wildfire remains unpredictable and unsafe. As such, assessments for structural damage have not been conducted in some areas that are difficult to access via land or air. At this time there are 125 structural firefighters working alongside local fire departments to protect structures.

The Emergency Operation Centre and BC Wildfire are frequently assessing potential changes for all current Evacuation Orders and Alerts. Adjustments will only be made when conditions are safe for residents to return. As soon as new information is available and confirmed, the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre will communicate updates directly using the e-subscribe on cordemergency.ca, on the website and our Facebook and Twitter page.

“While it is good news to be able to rescind a number of the evacuation orders at this time, allowing residents and property owners to access their homes, it is important that the public remains on alert,” says Michael Mercer, Director, Central Okanagan Emergency Operations. “We are anticipating unpredictable winds in the valley and extreme heat in the coming days, which means conditions can change quickly.”

Be prepared: have a plan, pack essentials, arrange for pets and animals, and make sure you are subscribed to receive official communications from the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre at cordemergency.ca.

Emergency Support Services

Emergency Support Services volunteers are staffing a reception centre at 1480 Sutherland Avenue in Kelowna. It is open today until 8 p.m. to assist local residents who have been evacuated and others from around the province with in-person registration, and food and lodging assistance.

Evacuees and those on Alert can also register with ESS online at ess.gov.bc.ca.

Residents with pets and livestock that are on Evacuation Alert should pre-arrange animal housing needs with family and friends, as there is limited pet boarding available. Non-residents and those visiting in the Evacuation area should consider safely returning to their communities as ESS is also providing services for evacuees from across the Province.

Emergency response personnel request that the public:

• Avoid the area so emergency responders can effectively perform their duties
• Please only call 9-1-1 in case of emergency.
• Call *5555 on a cell phone to report a wildfire.
• Monitor cordemergency.ca, facebook.com/cordemergency or twitter.com/CO_emerg for official situation updates and preparedness information

For more information about this wildfire, visit cordemergency.ca, sign up for e-updates, or call the information line at 250-469-8490.