A helicopter picks up water from Okanagan Lake on Thursday, August 12, 2021. A landslide has shutdown Westside Road that runs along the west side of British Columbia's Okanagan Lake. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Republished April 02, 2025 - 12:45 PM
Original Publication Date April 02, 2025 - 11:31 AM
KELOWNA, B.C. - A landslide has shut down Westside Road that runs along British Columbia's Okanagan Lake.
DriveBC says the road is closed until further notice in both directions south of Denison Road about 13 kilometres east of West Kelowna.
A statement from Central Okanagan Emergency Operations says the slide happened Tuesday around 9:45 p.m. and no injuries or damage to structures have been reported.
Photos of the scene posted by the contractor for the Ministry of Transportation show two separate rivers of mud and debris that have come down from the hillside above.
The statement says the area of the slide was "significantly impacted" by the 2023 McDougall Creek Wildfire and that properties located in the post-wildfire areas are subject to a higher risk of landslides.
Director of the Emergency Operations Centre Sally Ginter says emergency crews are expected to be released at some point on Wednesday and then the site will be turned over to the Ministry of Transportation.
A statement posted on social media from the Wilson’s Landing Firefighters Association says their crews along with members of Westside Fire Rescue are providing support where its needed.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 2, 2025.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2025