UPDATE: (Thursday, 2 p.m.) Evacuation Alert for the Bear Creek Fire has now been rescinded. This includes all 80 properties from the intersection of Parkinson Road north, including Bear Creek Road, Bear Creek Main, Rose Valley Road, Petterson Road and Dougmac Road.
UPDATE (Wednesday, 11 a.m.): The Evacuation Alert still remains in place.
NEAR WEST KELOWNA — While progress has been made fighting the 1.8 hectare Bear Creek Park wildfire which sparked on Sunday, the Regional District of the Central Okanagan (RDCO) says the evacuation alert is still in effect for 80 properties along Bear Creek and nearby roads.
About 54 of the properties on evacuation alert have dwellings or other structures.
RCMP say all previous roadblocks have been removed.
The B.C. Wildfire Service says the fire is still active and is 75 per cent contained. Multiple air and ground crews will be fighting the fire Monday, including a 20 person unit crew from Merritt and a helicopter will be bucketing.
Residents from the intersection of Parkinson Road north, including Bear Creek Road, Bear Creek Main, Rose Valley Road, Petterson Road and Dougmac Road are being asked to be prepared to leave their homes at a moment’s notice.
The RDCO says those residents “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, important documents and clothing.”
Fire Information Officer Kelsey Winter says the fire is believed to be human-caused but it is still under investigation.
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The blaze grew from 0.2 hectares to two hectares in less than five hours on Sunday.
The B.C. Wildfire Service responded to the incident with six air tankers, three helicopters and 26 firefighters. Overnight, 24 B.C. Forestry Service firefighters stayed on the ground to monitor the fire, but were challenged by several spot fires that ignited outside the perimeter according to Winter.
Winter says there were more than 1,200 lightning strikes in the region due to Sunday night’s thunderstorm.
The West Kelowna Fire Department and B.C. Forest Service are on scene of the Bear Creek Park wildfire.
The fire situation will be reassessed Monday afternoon or evening by the B.C. Wildfire Service, when a possible change in the evacuation alert status will be determined.
RCMP ask boaters to stay clear of the area around Bear Creek Park to ensure B.C. Forest Service air tankers and helicopters can safely access water from Okanagan Lake.
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