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Vernon  

New evacuation alerts issued for Fintry, Wilson Landing due to White Rock Lake wildfire

More evac alerts, orders

UPDATE 10:10 p.m.

The Regional District of Central Okanagan has issued a large evacuation alert for the White Rock Lake wildfire.

All properties accessed from Westside Road located between Westshore Estates and Bear Forest Service Road (north of Traders Cove) are now on alert. A map of the area can be viewed here.

All public lands north of Bear and Esperon Forest Service road are also on alert.

Traders Cove is not included in the alert.


UPDATE: 8:10 p.m.

The Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) has issued an Evacuation order for a portion of Electoral Area B above Westside Road.

The order applies to all of the properties south of and including Six Mile Creek Road to the boundary of the Regional District of Central Okanagan due to the White Rock Lake wildfire.

The evacuation order previously issued for properties along Bouleau and Pinaus Lake remains in effect.

The evacuation alert for properties along Irish Creek Road in Electoral Area B also remains in effect.

For a complete list, click here.


UPDATE: 6:55 p.m.

In response to the White Rock Lake Wildfire evacuation orders, The Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB) and the Central Okanagan Regional District (CORD), the City of Armstrong, along with the Township of Spallumcheen, have activated Emergency Social Services (ESS) support for evacuees.

The fairgrounds will be utilized to assist those that have been impacted by these evacuations.

"We are requesting the public’s assistance in respecting the privacy of those affected and are asking the public to use other municipal properties and parks at this time," The City said in a press release.

For more information on the evacuation orders, please contact each Regional District or First Nations Band office directly.

Drive BC reports a wildfire closure between Head of the Lake Rd and Westshore Rd near Vernon.

There is no inbound entry.


UPDATE: 5:29 p.m.

An Evacuation Order has been issued by the Okanagan Indian Band due to the White Rock Lake Wildfire for subdivisions located below the Whiteman Creek drainage, south of the Mud Hole, including Parker Cove and Whiteman subdivision.

A list of properties affected by the evacuation order, as well as more information on the order can be found here.


UPDATE: 3:04 p.m.

Due to slightly better mapping, the White Rock Lake wildfire is now an estimated 32,000 hectares in size.

White Rock Lake Incident Commander, Scott Rennick, says overnight growth was significant to the south of the fire.

"We are hampered by severe smoke," says Rennick,

The BC Wildfire Service is reporting that cooler temperatures and precipitation may result in slight reprieve in fire behaviour over the next 48-hours.

Rennick says crews are struggling to fly over the fire on the east side of the flank due to the heavy smoke.

The smoke is making it very difficult for crews to properly assess the fire and Rennick said they are using satellite imagery as a way to better assess the blaze.

The Type 1 Incident Management Team will be heading to Vernon within the next 48-hours to work in conjunction with the Type 2 Quebec IMT that is currently stationed there, to help them manage the fire.


ORIGINAL: 9:46 a.m.

The White Rock Lake wildfire burning near Westwold saw aggressive growth overnight fire along the south flank, where much of the fire perimeter crossed over the Salmon River FSR, says the BC Wildfire Service.

As a result, the estimated fire size is expected to grow over the next 24-hours.

Showers with a chance of thunderstorms are expected today bringing clouds and temperatures down to 20 C.

Extreme burning conditions will remain until additional moisture and clouds come to the area.

Depending on precipitation amounts, there may be a slight reprieve in fire behaviour over the next 48-hours, says BCWS.

Ten helicopters are assigned to the White Rock Lake wildfire and will be delivering water to problematic areas of the fire to support ground suppression efforts.

The helicopter fleet includes a Sikorsky 64 SkyCrane helicopter, which has a 2,650-gallon tank that is fillable in less than one minute.

Along with the 10 helicopters there will also be 99 firefighters, seven danger tree assessors/fallers, 39 pieces of heavy equipment, 10 support staff and BC Wildfire Service Incident Management Team.

“A ground-based retardant unit continues to reinforce control lines east of the fire perimeter. This unit is a large truck that can apply the same type of retardant used by air tankers to help slow the spread of the fire, allowing equipment and crews time and space to safely work along pre-constructed control lines,” says BCWS.

One structural protection specialist, 41 structure protection personnel from twelve fire departments are monitoring the area.

There remains 115 properties evacuated due to the fire, in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, the Regional District of North Okanagan and the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District. An evacuation alert was issued for properties north of Sugarloaf Mountain on Friday.

The blaze is currently estimated at 24,000 hectares in size.

In an evening update on Saturday, Hannah Swift, Fire Information Officer from the Incident Management Team who are currently stationed in Penticton, says they will be relocating to Vernon to better manage the White Rock Lake fire.



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