Kelowna Area Fires Continue Unabated

The British Columbia Ministry of Highways reports that Highway 97 remains closed in both directions north of Peachland and Highway 97C at Aspen Grove due to the forest fire.

Travelers are advised to divert via numbered routes only. From Merritt to the Kelowna area use Highway 5 to Highway 1 to Highway 97.

From Kelowna to Summerland and points south use Highway 33 to Highway 3 to Highway 97.

From Summerland and points south to Kelowna use Highway 97 south to Highway 3 to Highway 33.

West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater told the media at a late night news briefing that moe than 10,000 people have been evacuated from about 4,500 homes including all of Glenrosa and Gellatly Bay.

Early Sunday morning there were reports that some 20 homes had been destroyed by the fires and that Peachland is without power and cut off from the rest of the Central Okanagan by the closing of Highway 97.

Tourists and local golfers are advised to call ahead and confirm condiions at the course of your choice.

For a list of popular BC Interior golf clubs and courses visit:  PGA of BC Interior Golf Courses

Because of extreme dry conditions the entire Okanagan region is considered dangerously volatile at this time of summer. Late this past week, in an incident believed unrelated to the current fires, a wild fire at the bottom of Gallagher’s Canyon caught the attention of golfers on nearby Pinnacle Golf Course. (photo: Chris Stanford, Kelowna.com)

Assistant fire chief Lou Wilde told Kelowna.com. it’s “likely” a human is to blame, as there is no infrastructure in that part of the Mission Park Greenway and there was no lightning in the area."

The fire, which grew to about a half a hectare in size among the heavily-vegetated area perhaps 20 metres from Mission Creek, received treatment from 20 members of the Kelowna Fire Department, plus an initial attack crew from the B.C. Forest Service. A helicopter was also employed to drop buckets of water on the blaze, while a pump was used to soak the area with water from the creek.