Evacuation alerts end for Kelowna, B.C., residents as wildfire under control
Posted July 3, 2023 6:49 pm.
Evacuation alerts and a state of local emergency caused by a wildfire on Knox Mountain in Kelowna, B.C., have ended.
A statement from the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre says the fire is now under control at 6.5 hectares and emergency crews are still on the scene managing several hot spots.
The BC Wildfire Service says the Knox Mountain Fire is just two kilometres northwest of Kelowna.
Read more:
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Knox Mountain wildfire prompts evacuation orders in Kelowna
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Kelowna wildfire evacuation order downgraded to alert
Residents in the Poplar Point, Knox Mountain, Magic Estates, and Clifton areas near the fire were under an evacuation order on Canada Day that was later downgraded to an alert as crews fought the flames
Kelowna RCMP assisted with the evacuation of more than 400 properties.
The centre says the majority of Knox Mountain Park remains closed to prioritize public safety, as hazards such as sinkholes caused by burning tree roots remain in areas that no longer have active fires.
Kelowna Fire Department crews remained on scene at Knox Mountain overnight dealing with several hot spots & will continue to monitor the area all day. This is a reminder that Knox Mountain Park remains closed until the fire is out. Visit https://t.co/oZEcKtdS64 for more info.
— City of Kelowna (@cityofkelowna) July 3, 2023
It says city staff will be in the park on Tuesday to identify and mitigate hazards and assess damage to infrastructure.
Reminder: Knox Mountain is CLOSED temporarily.
Please stay away from Knox Mountain, including Paul’s Tomb to allow our firefighters the space to continue containing the fire.
There are still hot spots, debris and safety concerns. pic.twitter.com/aG0SYmcrkJ
— Mayor Tom Dyas (@MayorTomDyas) July 3, 2023