West Kelowna evacuation orders likely to remain for up to two weeks: officials

It will likely take another one to two weeks for evacuation orders in West Kelowna to be lifted, the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations announced in an update on the McDougall Creek wildfire Monday.

Approximately 405 properties remain under an evacuation order in the region, and while returning evacuated residents to their homes is a priority, there is work to be done before the remaining orders can be lifted, the service says.

“As critical infrastructure, such as hydro, gas, and water treatment are restored, and dangerous trees and other hazardous materials are removed on public property, evacuation orders will be downgraded,” it said. “The public is reminded not to enter areas under an evacuation order by land, water, or air.”

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The service says the McDougall Creek wildfire is still classified as out of control and is estimated to be around 13,712 hectares in size. In particular, the fire over the Powers Creek drainage near West Kelowna’s Glenrosa neighbourhood remains active.

“Yesterday morning saw increased fire behaviour due to an inversion and poor overnight recoveries, with some smouldering ground fire growth,” the update said. “Despite modest precipitation yesterday, approximately 2mm to the northwest and trace towards Lake Okanagan, potential for an increase in fire behaviour remains today.

“BC Wildfire Service and West Kelowna Fire Rescue are coordinating response efforts on this incident with support from the Regional District of Central Okanagan, and surrounding communities.”

Meanwhile, a further 20,111 properties are on evacuation alert in the area.

“Residents in alert areas are advised the situation is dynamic and can change quickly,” the service said. “They are reminded to be ready with a grab-and-go bag to leave at a moment’s notice and be away from home for an extended period.”

The Emergency Operations Centre says it is in the process of contacting property owners who lost their homes or whose properties remain uninhabitable, and they say this will be completed by Sept. 7. Those whose properties sustained partial damage but remain habitable have been contacted by email.

The situation continues to evolve in the McDougall Creek wildfire, still classified as Out of Control at approx. 13,712 Ha in size. An estimated 405 properties remain under Evacuation Order & 20,111 on Evacuation Alert. Details here: https://t.co/N40WrwmiaV pic.twitter.com/XZ5Um4zHuK

— Central Ok Emergency (@CO_Emerg) September 4, 2023

Across the province, there are more than 430 fires that remain active as of Monday, with some new evacuations over the past few days in the Northwest and Prince George Fire Centre, Fire Information Officer Nick Kokolski tells CityNews.

After strong winds fanned flames prior to the long weekend, wildfire crews have been busy trying to mitigate the wildfire growth, he says.

“Those winds have subsided, and that is extremely helpful,” he said. “That’s giving us a bit of reprieve there. [And] weather conditions are coming back down to seasonal, and that’s also helpful.”

Cooler, wetter weather has helped crews battling flames in the southern part of B.C., but Kokolski says what’s really needed to help tamp down this record-breaking fire season is a significant amount of rain.

“We’re not seeing that in the short-term outlook here,” he said, adding that it’s difficult to predict what may be seen further into the fall. “You have to take it day by day, as the weather is always changing. But I’m looking at the next five days, precipitation-wise, as the northern regions and Kamloops Fire Centre will stay dry.”

Over 2.2 million hectares of B.C.’s wildlands have burned so far this year.

With files from Mike Lloyd.