Most evacuation orders, alerts lifted in B.C.’s Okanagan wildfires

Evacuation orders and alerts have been lifted for all but one property in West Kelowna, B.C., about five weeks after thousands were chased out by a fast-moving wildfire.

Central Okanagan Emergency Operations says BC Wildfire Service crews are now patrolling the fire’s edge, working to extinguish any remaining hot spots, but warn nearby communities can expect to see smoke within the perimeter in the coming weeks.

The 139-square-kilometre McDougall Creek fire swept down toward West Kelowna on the evening of Aug. 17, engulfing residential streets that were evacuated with little time to spare.

A province-wide state of emergency was declared the next day, as the same winds that fuelled the McDougall Creek blaze fanned fires in the Shuswap region.

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About half of the 400 structures or homes destroyed in B.C.’s record-breaking fire season have been lost in the Kelowna area.

The operations centre also announced it is rescinding evacuation alerts and downgrading evacuation orders for the nearby 11-square-kilometre Glen Lake wildfire west of Peachland.

The McDougall Creek fire was classified as “held” by the BC Wildfire Service on Sept. 21 after burning out of control for weeks.

Data from the service shows the blaze is still an estimated 13,970 hectares in size, but wildfire crews say it is not likely to spread “beyond predetermined boundaries under current conditions.”

With files from Charlie Carey