The B.C. Wildfire Service helps firefighters in Kelowna fight highly visible fires. Canada Day blaz
On Canada Day, people who live near a wildfire that is out of control and can be seen from downtown Kelowna, B.C., were told to leave their homes.
The wildfire on Knox Mountain that was burning in the city of Okanagan was fought by firefighters and air bombers.
The fire started on Saturday, and by mid-afternoon, it was thought to cover about four hectares.
The Regional District of Central Okanagan says that police and rescue workers did “tactical evacuations” of people from Knox Mountain, Poplar Point, and Knox Mountain Park.
Several other nearby properties were also told to leave by the district.
The fire was out of control, so people were told to stay away from the area for their own safety and for the safety of emergency workers.
Aydan Coray, a fire information officer with the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS), told CBC News, “It’s just north of downtown Kelowna, so it’s very visible to the surrounding area.”
“Right now, it’s still considered out of control, so there will be a lot going on in the area.”
West Kelowna RCMP Cpl. Judith Bertrand says they don’t know what started the fire, and they don’t know how many people will have to leave their homes because the situation is still changing.
Bertrand says that the area around Knox Mountain is very populated and a popular tourist spot. Police are helping fire crews with the evacuation to make sure that the public is safe.
She says that the area around the mountain called Magic Estates is being evacuated because the wind makes it hard to tell where the fire is going.
The wildfire service sent helicopters, fire-fighting planes, and people on the ground to fight the fire.
On Saturday afternoon, people on vacation at the beach saw BCWS air tankers drop red flame retardant over the fire’s smoke plume.
Coray said that as of 3 p.m., there were 12 BCWS workers near the fire and more were on their way. The fire had visible flames and a “moderate rate of spread.”
“We have staff on standby at all of our bases throughout the long weekend,” Coray said, adding that the Okanagan region’s continued hot and dry weather has made it more likely that new fires will start.
The following places have been affected by evacuation orders
- Poplar Point.
- From Knox Mountain Park Drive, go north.
- Knox Mountain Park.
- Magic Estates.
- Rio Drive.
- Everything west of Clifton Drive.