Okanagan Centre Fire Evacuation Order Lifted

Okanagan Centre Fire

Central Okanagan, B.C. – The Okanagan Centre Fire Evacuation Order has been rescinded for 58 properties on Nighthawk, Long and Tyndall Roads, effective 8:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 19. Residents are asked to go to www.cordemergency.ca/resources for information on what to do when returning home after a forest fire and to contact Fortis at 1-888-224-2710 to have natural gas service restored to their houses.

The Okanagan Centre Fire is 100 per cent contained but some hot spots remain and residents returning to their homes will stay on Evacuation Alert and should be prepared to leave on short notice. Go to www.cordemergency.ca/map and search by address during any local emergency to determine if an area or street is under evacuation alert or order.

Ground crews will continue extinguishing spot fires and conducting danger assessments and falling trees in fire impacted areas throughout the day Wednesday.

The public must stay out of fire-affected areas for their own safety and obey all warning and hazards signs. Parks, trails and public and private lands in the area of the fire remain closed, including Jack Seaton Park and trails.

Nighthawk, Long and Tyndall Roads are open to local traffic only. Flaggers will remain in place to direct permitted traffic into the area.

Meeting for Returning Residents

The District of Lake Country has arranged a town hall meeting for residents who are returning home to the fire impacted area. The meeting will be held:

Thursday, July 20, 2017
7 p.m.
Winfield Memorial Hall
10130 Bottom Wood Lake Road

Representatives from the BC Wildfire Management Branch and a company that supplies fire retardant will be on hand to provide information and answer questions regarding cleanup and recovery.

Thank You, Fire Crews and Volunteers!

Without the tireless efforts of firefighters, the effects of the Okanagan Centre Fire, in this heavily wooded area of Lake Country, would have been far more devastating.

Thanks goes out to ground crews from the BC Wildfire Service and structure crews from Lake Country and the Armstrong, BX/Swan Lake, Ellison, Joe Rich, Kelowna, North Westside, Peachland and West Kelowna Fire Departments.

Emergency Support Services volunteers and many kind citizens are also thanked for their efforts to assist and accommodate evacuees and for their offers of help.

Information for Returning Home After a Forest Fire

Residents returning to homes should be aware that structures and vehicles may have sustained damage from smoke, water and fire suppressants.

When returning home, be cautious in your neighborhood and watch out for:

  • Trees that may be unstable and fall.
  • Live power lines lying on the ground.
  • Small fires that may flare up without warning.
  • Ash pits, which are holes filled with hot ash created by burned trees.

More information for returning residents can be found at www.cordemergency.ca/resources.  Interior Health also provides useful information on exposure to smoke from forest fires, food safety, water quality and septic tanks and disposal fields. Please visit: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/YourEnvironment/EmergencyPreparedness/Pages/Forest-Fires.aspx

Emergency Operations Centre Stands Down

As the fire is 100% contained and no further residents remain evacuated, the Emergency Operation Centre is standing down for the time being. Further updates will be posted, on an as needed basis, at www.cordemergency.ca.