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Vernon  

Vernon fire camp once housed more than 500 people

Fire camp coming down

With the threat of wildfire over, the Vernon fire camp is being dismantled.

The camp at Vernon's Kin Park was a small city unto itself with more than 500 people staying there at its peak.

Earlier this week, the personal tents were taken down and over the weekend trailers used to house cooking facilities, showers, bathrooms and administration offices were being removed.

The camp was established to house BC Wildfire Service crews as they battled the massive White Rock Lake wildfire that consumed more than 83,000 hectares since it ignited on July 13.

Dozens of homes were also lost to the flames.

“Due to significant effort from the BC Wildfire Service and provincial, First Nation, national and international partner agencies, much of the White Rock Lake wildfire is under control. However, the fire burning above the Banks Creek Drainage has yet to burn its way down to the pre-established control line and therefore is not considered under control. This section of the fire will continue to burn freely and put up smoke until it reaches the control lines where crews can safely extinguish the fires edge. As a result, although much of the fire has already received sufficient suppression action to ensure no further spread, as of Sept. 10, the White Rock Lake wildfire has been reclassified back to being held,” said a statement on the BCWS website.



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