Evacuation order lifted but alerts remain as wildfire burns in Kelowna, B.C.

Residents near a wildfire visible from downtown Kelowna, B.C., can return to their subdivision after an order to evacuate their homes was downgraded to an alert around 8 p.m. local time on Saturday.

Firefighters and air bombers continued tackling the Knox Mountain wildfire burning within the boundaries of the Okanagan city of nearly 150,000 residents.

The fire broke out earlier on Saturday and by late evening was estimated to be nearly seven hectares in size, almost double its estimated size in the afternoon. Nonetheless, the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) said the fire is now considered "held" and unlikely to grow any further.

The evacuation orders — which first came into effect around 4 p.m. —  were lifted for 448 properties in the Magic Estates and Poplar Point areas but alerts remain for those areas and several others nearby.

Wayne Stann was one of the residents ordered to evacuate from his Magic Estates neighbourhood.

He learned of the fire threatening his home when he turned his phone on after a game of bridge on Saturday.

"I had a multitude of messages — text and voice messages — [that] there was a fire in my subdivision," he told CBC News. "The third time in 25 years; I hope everything's OK."

When he arrived at his subdivision, he found police guarding a barricade preventing incoming traffic.

In retrospect, he wished he'd taken cash with him, plus photographs of several new purchases for insurance purposes. 

"There's not much you can do," Stann said in an interview near the barricade. "It's tinder dry here.

"I live on top of a mountain, but there's a multitude of trees all over the place, and they're combustible … It's a fact of life in the Okanagan."

WATCH | Airplane drops fire retardant on a wildfire in Kelowna, B.C. 

Airplane drops fire retardant on a wildfire just 2 kilometres from downtown Kelowna, B.C.

1 year ago

Duration 0:36

A B.C. Wildfire Service tanker aircraft drops red fire retardant onto the Knox Mountain wildfire that started within Kelowna city limits on Canada Day.

Only 2 km north of downtown

Firefighters tackled the fire, which was originally categorized as "out of control," as authorities asked everyone to stay away from the area for their own safety and that of emergency personnel.

"It's located just north of downtown Kelowna, so very highly visible to the surrounding area," Aydan Coray, a fire information officer with the BCWS, told CBC News.

Cpl. Judith Bertrand with West Kelowna RCMP says the area around Knox Mountain is quite dense and a popular spot for tourists, and police are assisting fire crews with the evacuation to ensure public safety.

The wildfire service deployed helicopters, fire-retardant aircraft and on-the-ground personnel to battle the blaze.

Holiday beach-goers observed BCWS air tankers dropping red flame retardant over the fire's smoke plume on Saturday afternoon.

As of 3 p.m., 12 BCWS personnel were on site near the fire with more on the way, Coray said, as the fire showed visible flames and a "moderate rate of spread."

"We have staff on standby at all of our bases throughout the long weekend," Coray added, noting that the Okanagan region's ongoing hot and dry weather have made new fires more likely.