The White Rock Lake wildfire near Monte Lake, Aug. 5, 2021.
Image Credit: FACEBOOK
August 06, 2021 - 2:18 PM
The Central Okanagan Regional District has issued evacuation orders in the west electoral area due to the White Rock Lake wildfire.
Properties from south of Westshore Estates along Westside Road from Killiney Beach including Ewings Landing are now under an extended evacuation order.
Residents only had until 1 p.m. this afternoon to evacuate, according to the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre's news release.
READ MORE: ‘Firefighters very nearly paid with their lives:’ Minister urges residents to follow evacuation orders
The new Evacuation Order includes 608 properties along Westside Road from 8525 Ewings Landing Road (south end) to 9995 Westside Road (north end), up to the Sugarloaf Forest Service Road turn off. A detailed map of the order can be found here.
As the area was previously on an alert, most residents should be prepared to leave their properties and be away from their homes for an extended period of time and report to Emergency Social Services, according to the emergency operations centre.
An Emergency Support Services reception centre for evacuated residents is located at 1480 Sutherland Ave in Kelowna. ESS volunteers are available, as needed, to help affected Central Okanagan residents. Residents that are evacuated from their homes must report to the reception centre to receive any assistance and lodging.
Evacuees can pre-register with ESS online but still need to visit the ESS Reception Centre in order to receive the appropriate supplier forms as specific paperwork is required in order to access these services.
Emergency Operations Centre staff are working with other response agencies to manage the situation and minimize the impacts. RCMP will regularly patrol the evacuated area. Sections of Westside Road through evacuation areas will be closed and residents will not be able to travel north to Vernon. Visit drivebc.ca for road closure details.
Multiple evacuation orders and alerts are already in place from the Okanagan Indian Band, Columbia-Shuswap Regional District, Regional District of North Okanagan, City of Kamloops and Thompson Nicola Regional District.
According to the OKIB's latest update at 1 p.m. the band expects the fire will reach Whiteman’s area tonight at roughly 6 p.m.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Carli Berry or call 250-864-7494 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.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © iNFOnews, 2021