British Columbia

West Kelowna fire evacuation alert lifted

Evacuation alerts affecting 17,000 West Kelowna residents near the Glenrosa and Rose Valley fires in the Okanagan Valley have been lifted. Firefighters are still working to extinguish hotspots, but officials said there is little risk of the fire getting out of control again.

But Terrace Mountain blaze keeps residents out of their homes

Evacuation alerts affecting 17,000 West Kelowna residents near the Glenrosa and Rose Valley fires in the Okanagan Valley have been lifted.

Firefighters are still working to extinguish hotspots, but officials said there is little risk of the fire getting out of control again.

It is a much different situation roughly 40 km to the north along the western shore of Lake Okanagan, where 1,000 people are unable to return home and 1,200 more people remain under an evacuation alert because of the Terrace Mountain fire.

More than 300 firefighters and 16 helicopters are still battling that 4,500-hectare blaze.

Rain over the weekend and cooler temperatures gave fire crews a chance to build fireguards, and the fire is now 50 per cent contained, officials estimated.

Westside Road remains closed on the south side of La Casa resort and Baziw Orchards on the north side of the area on evacuation order.