4,800 properties put on evacuation notice as wildfire rages towards BC town

Thousands of residents in British Columbia were put on evacuation notice late Wednesday night after a wildfire in the McDougall Creek, just outside the city of West Kelowna.

Central Okanagan Emergency Operations issued the evacuation alert for portions of West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation and a portion of the Central Okanagan West Electoral Area.

“Residents in the area are advised to be ready to leave their home at a moment’s notice. They should be prepared to be away from their home for an extended period of time, make arrangements for pets and pack essential items such as medicines and important documents,” the notice said.

The fire is estimated to be 64 hectares in size and is highly visible from West Kelowna and surrounding areas, BC Wildfire Services said.

#BCWildfire Service continues to respond to the McDougall Creek wildfire (K52767) 10 km northwest of West Kelowna. Yesterday, the fire displayed significant fire behaviour and is now estimated to be 64 ha in size. It is highly visible from West Kelowna and surrounding areas. pic.twitter.com/OrkTHnRV2u

— BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) August 17, 2023

The @CO_Emerg Centre has been activated to support BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) for the McDougall Creek Wildfire. Evacuation Alerts are in effect for portions of West Kelowna.

Visit https://t.co/wsqH6XcyjO to find the full list of Evacuation Alerts and up-to-date info. https://t.co/ygIKmNeHbF

— City of West Kelowna (@WestKelownaCity) August 17, 2023

Weather alerts issued by Environment Canada suggest that heavy winds are expected Thursday and overnight Friday that may worsen wildfire conditions and possibly start new fires.

“The Emergency Operations Centre is working with other response agencies to manage the situation, however, residents of the area should be prepared to obey an Evacuation Order if needed,” the centre said.

West Kelowna has a population of 33,000, and is located about 400 kilometers from Vancouver.

Rahat Sandhu