Crews are getting a better handle on the Philpott Road wildfire burning east of Kelowna in the Joe Rich area.
Nearly a week after it first began, the blaze is considered 30 per cent contained.
On Thursday, the fire was considered rank one and two, meaning there are smouldering hot spots, lots of smoke and potentially small ground fires.
The weather is cooperating. The wind in the forecast has so far not been as bad in the fire area as first thought.
However, gusts of wind overnight meant crews couldn’t burn off fuel Wednesday night to help with their containment of the blaze.
More evacuated residents in Joe Rich, B.C., went home on Wednesday, leaving only 35 properties still under an evacuation order. Those properties are addresses from 310 to 1495 on Philpott Road.
Approximately 1,100 people were evacuated from the Joe Rich area when the fire broke out last Thursday. More than 1,000 have been allowed to return but had been put on evacuation alert. That meant they should be ready to leave quickly if needed.
On Thursday, the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre said it was able to remove many of those properties from the evacuation alert.
However, a number of properties on Three Forks Road, Thelwell Road, Greystokes Road and Highway 33 E remain on evacuation alert. A complete list of properties on alert is available on the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations website.
The province has also placed area restrictions on crown land in the fire area that began on Wednesday, Aug. 30.
The restrictions will run until mid-September and mean that, with few exceptions, no one is allowed in the area unless they have written permission. The province said entrance into the area without written permission is allowed for four reasons:
(1) Getting to your principal residence if it isn’t under an evacuation order
(2) Getting to a leased property to visit a recreational property or secondary residence
(3) If you are acting in an official capacity
(4) If you are supporting wildfire suppression activities
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No growth of Philpott Road wildfire near Kelowna; more evacuees allowed home -
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Philpott Road wildfire continues to challenge fire firefighters -
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Philpott Road wildfire uncontained but less aggressive -
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Philpott Road wildfire under control near Kelowna -
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Municipal fire crews helping save homes threatened by wildfire near Kelowna -
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Joe Rich Evacuees
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