Update: More evacuees given green light to go home
UPDATE: 7:35 p.m.
Today, over 600 properties were downgraded from evacuation order to evacuation alert in Lake Country, in parts of West Kelowna, and for Westbank Frist Nation IR#10.
There are no longer any properties under evacuation order in Lake Country. All properties have been downgraded to alert.
As of 3:00 p.m., approximately 1,588 properties remain on evacuation order in West Kelowna, 1,114 in the Regional District of Central Okanagan, Electoral Area and 38 in Westbank First Nation. There are 15,184 properties in total that remain on evacuation alert.
The Emergency Operations Centre does not anticipate any further evacuation order downgrades this evening.
Original story
Fire evacuees in Lake Country got some good news at the Saturday morning regional fire update (Aug. 26).
Lake Country Mayor Blair Ireland announced that they are planning to downgrade all properties impacted by the Clarke Creek fire from evacuation orders to alerts this afternoon.
“Please wait for it to be announced on cordemergency.ca,” Ireland advised. “There is lots of clean up going on, there are still downed trees. People have to remember: the fire is being held — the fire is not out, and alerts will remain in place over the weekend. Don’t go into the burnt areas. Fires are still burning and it’s not safe there,” Ireland said.
Loyal Wooldridge, chair of the Regional District of Central Okanagan, said the progress made on the McDougall Creek fire has allowed their Emergency Operations Team (EOC) team to put a significant focus on re-entry and recovery.
“We now have 3,400 properties on order, and just in last 24 hours, EOC has downgraded orders and alerts in West Kelowna, Lake Country and on Westbank First Nation lands which has allowed 900 properties to return home safely.”
“This is incredible work. It is very easy to start getting orders in place to remove people, but the work comes at getting people back into communities,” Wooldridge remarked.
The RDCO chair said they met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday during the PM’s visit.
“We emphasized the need for sustained funding to rebuild and mitigates like this into the future,” Wooldrige said.
Gord Milson, West Kelowna mayor, said the past few days have been difficult, but there have been positive developments.
“Many of our residents on the Greater Westside have been able to return home.”
Milson said the ESS reception centre has been moved from Royal Lepage Place to the gym next door at Mt. Boucherie Secondary on Cameron Road which provides more space and a better experience for everyone.
On Monday, some indoor recreation facilities will reopen including Royal Lepage Place, the multi sports centre and the Johnson Bentley Memorial Aquatic Centre and Jim Lind Arena.
Brad Litke with the B.C. Wildfire Service said an ariel ignition planned for the northwest corner of the McDougall fire was put on hold Friday due to unfavourable winds and will resume when conditions allow.
A 130 ha. ignition will proceed today from Bear Creek Main forest service road south to the Hidden Creek FSR.
The number of damaged properties was the same: 90 in RDCO Electoral Area West, 84 in West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation, four in Kelowna and three in Lake Country.