Flames can be seen overnight from the fire in Lake Country last night, July 15.
Image Credit: CONTRIBUTED/Lynne Spencer
July 16, 2017 - 9:01 AM
KELOWNA – Over 330 properties have been evacuated and an estimated 10 structures damaged by a wild fire still burning in Lake Country.
Local and provincial crews spent the night fighting the fire in Lake Country, Fire Information Officer Tracey Wynnyk says. At last report it was 30 hectares in size and 80 per cent contained by retardant.
“We’re assisting local government fire departments as it falls in municipal boundaries,” she says.
Crews from the Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland, Ellison and Joe Rich fire departments are helping, according to a press release from Central Okanagan Emergency Operations.
Last night 331 properties were evacuated from the area. Operations information officer Jodi Foster says officials aren’t sure how many people were evacuated, but 144 have registered with the emergency support services centre in Kelowna so far.
An estimated 10 structures have been damaged by the fire, Foster says it’s not clear how badly damaged or what the structures are.
“They’re going to be going out and assessing the area today,” she says. “It was dark last night when it was happening.”
“We’ll have more information this afternoon.”
“If people haven’t registered already and have been evacuate it’s important that they go there and do that,” she says.
The evacuation order still stands today. An alert issued at the same time covers another 657 properties. A map of the area under evacuation alert and order can be found here.
The centre is located at 1480 Sutherland Ave. in the Salvation Army Church. The centre is also being used by evacuees from Williams Lake.
Currently a cause has not been determined for the fire, which was first reported around 4:30 p.m. yesterday, July 15.
- This story was updated at 9:14 a.m. with information from Central Okanagan Emergency Operations.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Brendan Kergin or call 250-819-6089 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, 2017