White Rock Lake Fire – structural damage assessment begins

White Rock Lake Wildfire

News Release No. 25, Central Okanagan B.C. – 50-60 structures have been significantly damaged overnight in the Ewings Landing and Killiney areas within Central Okanagan Regional District on the west side of Okanagan Lake. 

Crews will be conducting full assessment of damaged properties starting this afternoon. Officials will be working to contact property owners as possible. More information will be released as it becomes available through cordemergency.ca.

Please be aware that wildfire evacuees from the White Rock Lake and Mount Law and Wildfires can now register by phone by calling the Emergency Support Services (ESS) call centre at 1-833-498-3770.

In person attendance at the 1480 Sutherland Avenue ESS reception centre is no longer required, however, all evacuees should register.

Crews continue active suppression efforts in the Northeast face of the White Rock Creek fire.

We continue to ask everyone on Evacuation Order to please leave immediately to allow crews to focus on fire suppression.  Last night, the Fire Rescue boat needed to be pulled off of fire suppression duties to rescue people who had not left the Killiney area.

We also ask that everyone, including boaters, stay away from the area to allow access to aircraft and ground crews battling the fire. BC Wildfire has updated the White Rock Lake wildfire size to 62,273 hectares.

There are no changes in Evacuation Orders or Alerts within the Central Okanagan this morning for this wildfire.

The forecast is reporting rain and cooler conditions. Residents are reminded to remain alert and subscribed to cordermergency.ca for updates. A detailed map showing the present status of Orders and Alerts affecting properties within the RDCO is at cordemergency.ca/map.

Residents in an Alert area should remain prepared to leave their homes with short notice and to be away for an extended period of time. This includes making arrangements for pets and packing essential items such as medicines and important documents. Some ways residents can get prepared include:

  • Prepare a 72-hour emergency kit
  • Know where the water and power shut off are in your house
  • Have an evacuation plan, including for your pets
  • Visit cordemergency.ca/beprepared

The ESS centre at 1480 Sutherland Avenue is scheduled to be open today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. unless conditions change.

On BC Wildfire advice, Temporary Access Permits allowing residents back into evacuated areas to collect items are no longer likely. This is due to the expected winds today.

Emergency response personnel request that the public:

  • Avoid the area so emergency responders can effectively perform their duties
  • Boaters are asked to steer clear of air support
  • Please only call 9-1-1 in case of emergency
  • Call *5555 on a cell phone to report a wildfire
  • Subscribe and follow cordemergency.ca, facebook.com/cordemergency or twitter.com/CO_emerg for official situation updates and preparedness information

For more information about this wildfire, visit cordemergency.ca, sign up for e-updates, or call the information line at 250-469-8490.