White Rock Lake Wildfire update No 47

Release No 47 Central Okanagan, B.C. — BC Wildfire Service says there continue to be 369 BC Wildfire and Military personnel working on fire suppression efforts for the White Rock Lake wildfire. The fire is estimated at 81,362 hectares and continues to be active and classified as out of control.

“Ground crews are working with BC Wildfire to identify hotspots and deal with hazards,” says Corie Griffiths, Regional EOC Director. “I know many are anxious to return home and there is a coordinated effort underway to restore utilities, identify hazards and move towards making things safe for the public in order for some residents to return to their neighbourhoods.”

The Evacuation Order for 1,316 properties and 850 properties on Alert, in the North Westside communities within the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, remains unchanged at this time. Residents can visit cordemergency.ca/map to determine if their property is on Order or Alert.

“We appreciate the partnership with BC Wildfire throughout the past month as our community faced this unprecedented fire,” continues Griffiths. “We have now been given the ability from BC Wildfire Incident Command to do our work as an early step to get you back into your homes as soon as safely possible. We are in very early stages and there is much to be done.”

To date 78 properties have been confirmed as having sustained significant damage. Those owners have been contacted. As assessment work continues it is likely that additional properties under evacuation order will have had some damage that could cause the home to be temporarily unsafe to live in until remediation work can be undertaken.

Central Okanagan evacuees can find out more about Emergency Support Services by calling 250-469-8512 or by visiting the Central Okanagan ESS Reception Centre at 1480 Sutherland Avenue, Kelowna, open from noon to 6 p.m. The following rules apply:

• Evacuated residents WITH homeowner or tenant insurance will not be given an extension for coverage and should immediately contact their insurance provider to find out what coverage is available.
• Evacuated residents WITHOUT homeowner or tenant insurance may receive support and should contact Emergency Support Services.

You can visit the Insurance Bureau of Canada for more information on the process of an insurance claim as a result of a BC wildfire at www.ibc.ca/ns/disaster/bcwildfire.

There are eligibility requirements for emergency support services. Homeowner or tenant insurance may provide greater support than the Emergency Support Services program. Check with your insurer to determine what may be available to you. For details on eligibility, see the Evacuee Living Assistance Policy (PDF, 378KB).

For more information about this wildfire, visit cordemergency.ca, BC Wildfire Services and sign up for e-updates, follow the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre on facebook.com/cordemergency or twitter.com/CO_emerg or call the information line at 250-469-8490.

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