UPDATE: Westside Road evacuations remain in effect; fire grows to 430 ha

Smoke is filling the sky near the Westside Road wildfire today, July 21, 2015.

(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)

Republished July 21, 2015 - 2:56 PM

Original Publication Date July 21, 2015 - 6:14 AM

WEST KELOWNA - Evacuation orders remain in effect for a wildfire burning on Westside Road between La Casa Resort and Lake Okanagan Resort.

This morning the emergency operations centre updated and clarified last night's evacuations ordered after heavy winds stoked the fire caused by lightning July 19. The fire grew from 30 hectares to roughly 175 ha overnight, according to B.C. Wildfire. By 2:45 p.m. the fire had grown to 430 ha and was zero per cent contained. As of Tuesday afternoon 19 firefighters and four airtankers were on site.

The order remains in place for roughly 70 homes along Westside Road from 3985 Westside Road north to La Casa Resort, but not including La Casa, along with residents of Denison Road, Shelter Cove Road, Central Okanagan Road and Deighton Road.

Residents on Terrace Way, Chalet Crescent and Condo Court are not under evacuation order.

Evacuated residents are asked to check in at the Lions Hall in West Kelowna.

Westside Road is closed from Denison Road to La Casa and nearly 1,400 customers in the area have been without since about 5:30 a.m. because of the fire. B.C. Hydro does not provide an estimate on when power will be restored.