UPDATE:
- Residents in Summerland are allowed to return home as an evacuation order is now an evacuation alert.
- Several properties affected by the Pear Lake wildfire, including the whole Village of Clinton, are no longer under evacuation orders.
- All properties in Peachland and Electoral Area West are now under evacuation alerts instead of orders.
- Evacuation orders for properties from Cinnabar Creek to Westshore Estates near the Quilpituk Creek wildfire have been downgraded to an evacuation alert.
- More than 100 wildfires are still active across British Columbia, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS).
- As of Friday morning, approximately 18,900 individuals are under evacuation orders and around 10,000 more are on evacuation alert in B.C.
Residents Return Home
Thousands of British Columbia residents evacuated due to wildfires will be able to return home on Friday as some evacuation orders have been downgraded to alerts.
In Summerland, where the Bald Range wildfire is ongoing, part of the evacuation order has been downgraded to an evacuation alert by the District of Summerland. Residents of about 400 properties in the Trout Creek neighborhood east of Highway 97 can now return home.
Evacuation orders for all properties in Peachland and Electoral Area West were also downgraded to alerts on Friday, as confirmed by Central Okanagan Emergency Management.
Additionally, over 400 properties in the Pear Lake wildfire area, including the entire Village of Clinton, have been removed from evacuation orders and are now under an evacuation alert.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) mentioned that evacuees can start returning to the area beginning Saturday at 8 a.m. PT.
Clinton Mayor Roland Stanke stated that returning evacuees should be prepared for significant changes in the landscape due to the fire, estimating that around 100 homes were lost.
Evacuees from the Quilpituk wildfire, located north of Kelowna, will also have staged re-entry as the evacuation order has been downgraded to an alert, affecting about 2,400 households.
A phased re-entry approach will be implemented to manage the return of residents and reduce traffic congestion.
Residents are reminded to inspect their properties and trees for any damage before re-entering their homes. They are advised to dispose of all contents in their fridge and freezer as part of the re-entry process.
According to the emergency management website, there have been no reports of structural loss.
The Quilpituk Creek fire was controlled on Thursday.
Patience Urged near Bald Range Fire
The Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) is requesting patience from residents affected by the Bald Range wildfire.
The fire has spread over 198 square kilometers as of Friday noon, according to the BCWS.
