West Kelowna evacuates as wildfire burns near Okanagan Lake
An eight-hectare fire discovered Tuesday prompted tactical evacuations in two B.C. neighbourhoods. Provincial officials warned underlying drought conditions are worse than in historic fire seasons.
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Residents in two West Kelowna, B.C., neighbourhoods have been evacuated as a fast-moving wildfire burns out of control near Okanagan Lake.
The Central Okanagan emergency management centre ordered tactical evacuations for homes along 10 streets in the Casa Loma and Lakeview Heights areas Tuesday following the discovery of the eight-hectare fire in Kalamoir Regional Park. The areas under evacuation are located just south of the floating Bill Bennet bridge that leads into Kelowna.
The BC Wildfire Service said the suspected cause was human activity. The blaze was discovered shortly after provincial officials provided an update on B.C.'s wildfire outlook, cautioning that spring showers and a slow start to the season were "masking" underlying drought and the likelihood of increased fire activity.
Neal McLoughlin, superintendent for predictive services, said current drought patterns are worse compared with those recorded at the same time of year in the historic fire seasons of 2017, 2018, and 2021.