Drought Hill wildfire being held, evacuees can return home | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Drought Hill wildfire being held, evacuees can return home

The view of the Drought Hill wildfire between Peachland and West Kelowna as seen from a BC Wildfire Service birddog aircraft July 30, 2025.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED / BC Wildfire Service

The Drought Hill wildfire in Peachland is being held, some evacuation orders have been downgraded and some alerts have been lifted.

The fire is being held at 57 hectares between Highway 97 and Highway 97C. The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre has downgraded 118 addresses on evacuation orders to alerts, and lifted the evacuation alert for 490 addresses.

BC Wildfire Service said the fire is now a rank one, which means it’s a smouldering ground fire.

There are 11 wildland firefighters alongside local department crews working the fire. No aircraft are working the fire today, but they are on standby in case they're needed.

Travellers have been told to expect some delays in traffic going through the fire area on Highway 97. Traffic is open for a single lane in both directions. Go here for the latest from DriveBC.

Property owners returning home have been advised to check for any damage, though no structural damage has been reported by authorities.

The Royal LePage Place emergency support centre is closed, and the Peachland Community Centre emergency support services will close at noon today. 

People living in these addresses can return home:

  • 5140 and 5151 Clarence Road
  • 5031 Lang Court
  • MacNeil Court
  • Morrison Crescent
  • Morrison Court
  • Morrison Place
  • All units within the property at 5165 Trepanier Bench Road
  • Walker Road

The evacuation alert for these addresses has been lifted:

  • Property at the north end of Chidley Road (unaddressed)
  • All of Clarence Road except 5140 and 5151 Clarence Road
  • Coldham Road
  • 5078, 5089, 5091, 5093 and 5101 Cousins Place
  • Cousins Road
  • Desert Pines Avenue
  • Dryden Road
  • Greata Road
  • 3599 Highway 97
  • Huston Road
  • Inglis Place
  • Lever Court
  • Lornell Crescent
  • Lornell Court
  • 5030, 5070, 5090, 5126, 5145, 5146, 5156, 5166, 5175, 5186 Mackinnon Road and the property at the North end of Mackinnon Road within the District of Peachland (unaddressed)
  • 4850 and 4855 Mackinnon Road
  • Point Place
  • Shaw Road
  • Smith Way
  • Sutherland Road
  • Trepanier Heights Avenue
  • Trepanier Heights Place
  • 4995 Trepanier Road
  • Trepanier Bench Road (except units within property at 5165 Trepanier Bench Road)
  • Witt Place

To contact a reporter for this story, email Jesse Tomas or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. Find our Journalism Ethics policy here.

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