UPDATE: McDougall Creek wildfire remains very active and unpredictable, structural loss confirmed

| August 18, 2023 in Wildfire

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**Coverage of the McDougall Creek wildfire is continuing at this link on Friday.**

(UPDATE: Aug. 18 @ 2:38 am) - Officials have confirmed there’s been some structural loss overnight due to the McDougall Creek wildfire. 

As the fire remains very active and unpredictable, firefighters continue to work on interface areas of McDougall Creek to protect property and infrastructure in West Kelowna. 

A full assessment of the areas affected will be undertaken in the morning, with a detailed update to be provided by emergency officials at 10 am. 

Currently, 2,462 properties are under evacuation order and 4,801 properties are under evacuation alert for the McDougall Creek wildfire.

All current orders and alerts remain in place, and the public is reminded to stay out of the evacuation area, as they are active fire zones. 

As per Transport Canada, drones are prohibited from flying over a forest fire area or any area located within five nautical miles of a forest fire area.

Evacuees should register online here, and they are encouraged to find temporary lodging with family and friends.

All reception centres in West Kelowna, Kelowna and Vernon have closed for the evening. 

An overnight shelter centre has opened at Prospera Place, at 1223 Water Street in Kelowna, for evacuees requiring a place to go overnight. Small pets caged or leashed are permitted.

Emergency Support Services will be available to evacuees in the morning to assist with registrations.

Residents can refer to this interactive map to determine if they are affected by active orders or alerts.

Residents under evacuation alert are advised to be ready to leave their home at a moment’s notice. They should prepare to be away from their home for an extended period of time, make arrangements for pets and pack essential items such as medicines and important documents.

Those on evacuation alert can pre-register here, should an evacuation order be declared.

(UPDATE: Aug. 17 @ 9:30 pm) - All Rose Valley and West Kelowna Estates residents must leave immediately.

That's the latest evacuation order from Central Okanagan Emergency Management (CORD) as the McDougall Creek wildfire continues to spread into the night.

The order specifically cites Rose Valley residents north of Stevens Road, which means anyone north of the roundabout by the A&W needs to evacuate.

CORD has also expanded the evacuation alert to include the following properties on Westbank First Nation IR 10 lands:

Evacuees should register online or head to Royal LePage Place at 2760 Cameron Rd. 

The Vernon Emergency Operations Centre has also been opened at Kal Tire Place at 3445 43rd Ave. in Vernon to accommodate permanent residents of West Kelowna who have been forced out of their homes this evening.

(UPDATE: Aug. 17 @ 9:00 pm) - All properties along Westside Road from Traders Cove to Nahun are to evacuate immediately, according to the latest orders from the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations (CORD).

The evacuation zone has extended north to Killiney Beach. Affected properties of the latest evacuation order include:

All evacuees are to head north along Westside Road to Vernon. 

"Due to unpredictable fire behaviour, it is critical that all residents evacuate for their safety and the safety of first responders in the area. Evacuees should register online at https://ess.gov.bc.ca or attend the Information Centre at Kal Tire Place, 3445 43rd Avenue in Vernon," CORD noted in a release. 

All other evacuation alerts and orders are still in place, use this link to see if your address is affected. 

(UPDATE: Aug. 17 @ 7:15 pm) - Another round of evacuation orders have been announced by Central Okanagan Emergency Operations (CORD).

The latest are for more properties on the west side of Okanagan Lake, north of the bridge, in the area of Westside Road, as the fire has now crested the hill and flames are highly visible from Kelowna.

That includes all properties in Bear Creek Provincial Park, Traders Cove, Raymer Bay and Sailview Bay.

It also means all properties along Westside Road from Bear Creek Forest Service Road South to Westbank First Nation IR#10, which includes:

All residents under an evacuation order must leave immediately and can register as evacuees online or in person at Royal LePage Place at 2760 Cameron Rd. in West Kelowna. Those on evacuation alert are encouraged to pre-register online.

There have been no other changes to existing evacuation orders or alerts.

"Residents under Evacuation Alert are advised to be ready to leave their home at a moment’s notice," says CORD. 

"They should prepare to be away from their home for an extended period of time, make arrangements for pets and pack essential items such as medicines and important documents."

(UPDATE: Aug. 17 @ 5:40 pm) - Central Okanagan Emergency Operations (CORD) has expanded its evacuation order for the McDougall Creek wildfire.

It now includes 620 properties in the Rose Valley area and 143 properties in the area of Bartley Road, north of Shannon Lake.

It also includes more properties on the east flank of the fire, as the flames have crested the hillside above Westside Road and are now visible from Kelowna.

"Tactical evacuation is already underway," CORD noted in a release issued at 5:24 pm.

The BCWS has updated the estimated size of the fire from 300 to 1,100 hectares.

"(It's) displaying Rank 5 fire behaviour, meaning an organized crown fire front with moderate to long-range spotting," the fire service explained.

"BCWS personnel and structure protection personnel are responding to the incident with aerial support throughout the day."

Bartley Road properties north of Shannon Lake now under an evacuation order include:

Streets in the Rose Valley subdivision now under an evacuation order include:

Properties on the east flank of the fire closer to Westside Road now included in the evacuation order include:

"Residents on Evacuation Order must leave the area immediately," noted CORD's release. "To ensure an orderly evacuation of these areas, please follow directions from emergency personnel."

Evacuees should register online or head to Royal LePage Place for more information.

They're also urged to find temporary accommodations with family and friends, as most hotels and similar accommodations are booked up for another busy summer weekend in the Central Okanagan.

A map of the evacuation order and alert is available here. Residents can also search their street address through this link to see if they're affected.

(UPDATE: Aug. 17 @ 5:05 pm) – Environment Canada is reporting strong wind gusts are beginning to hit the Kelowna area.

Since 4 pm, wind gusts up to more than 40 km/h were observed at the Kelowna airport.

An Environment Canada (EC) meteorologist tells KelownaNow that southwest winds are expected to average at about 20-30 km/h.

However, those winds are forecasted to gust between 40-50 km/h throughout the rest of the afternoon and will heavily impact the McDougall Creek wildfire.

The massive plume of smoke that can be seen from West Kelowna and Kelowna will continue to blow to the north and east and away from the community.

EC says that wind is expected to become light late tonight but the reprieve will not last long.

“In our forecast, we have winds becoming light overnight, but it's just near the surface (of the fire),” the meteorologist said.

“I think this fire is a bit more aloft so those smoke plumes could still drift towards the east or northeast of Kelowna overnight and into tomorrow morning.”
 


A special weather statement is in place for most of the Southern Interior and the wind event is expected to last well into Friday.

“For tomorrow, in the morning we will still have southwesterly winds, sort of the same conditions today,” the meteorologist explains.

However, by Friday afternoon that is expected to make a complete 180-change and could prove a significant challenge to firefighters battling the fire.

The wind will change sometime in the early afternoon and begin blowing from the north and northwest, still bringing gusts up to 40-50 km/h.

“This will move that plume of smoke into West Kelowna and Kelowna,” says the EC meteorologist.

Those winds will become light overnight again on Friday and after the weather pattern passes through the Interior on Saturday, the winds will be a lot quieter throughout the weekend.

“According to the BC Wildfire Service, they’re saying today and tomorrow are the watch out days for all these fires because how windy and  dry it is for the entire region and we don’t really have any precipitation coming up,” the meteorologist told KelownaNow.
 

(UPDATE: Aug. 17 @ 3:35 pm) – The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations centre has expanded the evacuation alert area due to the McDougall Creek wildfire.

Another 924 properties north of Traders Cove up to and including Caesars Landing are now under evacuation alert.

Visit the COEO’s interactive map to view if your property is included in the alert.

Evacuees should register online at https://ess.gov.bc.ca/ or attend the Information Centre at Royal LePage Place, 2760 Cameron Road in West Kelowna.

An evacuation order remains in place for 68 properties:

The fire is still estimated at 300 hectares and burning out of control.

(UPDATE: Aug. 17 @ 1:30 pm) - West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund said some of the close-to-10,000 people already on evacuation alert should expect a full evacuation order later today.  

After returning from a flight the 300-hectare McDougall Creek wildfire, Chief Brolund was somber.

"The fire behind our communities continues to grow," he said. "This will be a very large fire. There is some risk to the community."

Adding to the concern is an expected shift in the wind direction toward West Kelowna. 

"I expect today that we will see evacuation orders," he noted. "Not for the entire alert area, but for portions of it. Portions that we have deemed most at risk."

Chief Brolund said the Emergency Operations Centre is fully activated.

"All of our local government staff, public works, the RCMP, the ambulance service are talking about plans should this fire come into our community."

Not long after Brolund spoke to media early Thursday afternoon, a local state of emergency was declared and the evacuation order he alluded to was made public by Central Okanagan Emergency Operations (CORD).

It's in effect immediately for 68 properties:

The evacuation alert issued late Wednesday night has also been expanded to now include areas north of Traders Cove up to and including Caesars Landing.

"Residents must be ready to leave their home at a moment’s notice and be prepared to be away from their home for an extended period of time," CORD reiterated. "Get ready and make arrangements for pets and livestock and pack essential items such as medicines and important documents."

There are now more than 5,700 properties under an evacuation alert in the following communities:

Four regional parks that are within the evacuation alert zone in West Kelowna remain closed at this time.

(UPDATE: Aug. 17 @ 11:25 am) - The BC Wildfire Service has provided an updated size estimate for the McDougall Creek wildfire.

The fire burning around 10 kilometres north to northwest of West Kelowna is now estimated at 300 hectares, up from 64 hectares Wednesday night.

Smoke in the area continues to make visibility challenging around the fire, the BCWS says.

At this time, 21 ground personnel are assigned to this incident and they're being supported by three helicopters and air tankers.

"Crews working on the northwest flank this morning observed rank three fire behaviour, as well as strong winds," explained the BCWS.

A rank three fire is described as a "moderately vigorous surface fire."

The Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has been activated and an evacuation alert remains in place for around 4,800 properties in West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation and the Central Okanagan West Electoral Area.

The entirety of Bear Creek Provincial Park is also under the evacuation alert.

Central Okanagan Emergency Operations (CORD) is expected to provide further updates soon, but advises anyone under an evacuation alert to be prepared to leave at "a moment's notice."

"They should be prepared to be away from their home for an extended period of time, make arrangements for pets and livestock and pack essential items such as medicines and important documents," CORD explains.

You can refer to this map to see if your property is affected by the evacuation alert.

(Original story: Aug. 17 @ 6:20 am) - The out-of-control wildfire north of West Kelowna grew exponentially on Wednesday afternoon and evening.

The latest BC Wildfire Service estimate pegs McDougall Creek wildfire at 64 hectares and it has now been added to the service’s ‘Wildfires of Note’.

As a result, the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has been operated and 4,800 properties spent the night under an evacuation alert.

The alert covers parts of West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation and the Central Okanagan West Electoral Area.

“Residents in the area are advised to be ready to leave their home at a moment’s notice,” explains a release from Central Okanagan Emergency Operations (CORD). 

“They should be prepared to be away from their home for an extended period of time, make arrangements for pets and pack essential items such as medicines and important documents.”

The alert also covers the entirety of Bear Creek Provincial Park.

“Campers are advised that the area is an active wildfire zone and be ready to leave the area,” CORD noted.

The BCWS had 23 ground personnel and multiple helicopters actioning the fire on Wednesday, but the thick layer of smoke in the valley was proving to be an issue for air support.

Unfortunately, things could get worse before they get better, as gusty winds are forecast Thursday afternoon and into Friday before cooler weather arrives this weekend.

Here's a full list of communities covered by the evacuation alert, which you can see via map at this link:

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