Westside Road evacuees are returning to their properties as Central Okanagan Emergency Operations lifted evacuation orders for Ewings Landing, Killiney Beach, Estamont and Westshore Estates neighbourhoods.
Fred Bednar returned to his property on Friday in the Killiney Beach area to find his home completely destroyed by the White Rock Lake wildfire.
“Everything’s gone. All the way up to the top, all three and half acres are burned,” said Bednar.
Bednar says this was his forever home, his retirement haven, which is now reduced to ash — something he will never forget.
“Hopefully in the spring we can purchase another retirement home, with probably less trees around,” Bednar told Global News on Friday.
“After this we meet with the (insurance) adjuster next Friday, I think that will be the last time I see this place.”
Bednar hopes more information will come to light about what exactly happened on and around his property.
“Transparency. I would love some more transparency on what happened,” said Bednar.
More than 75 structures were significantly damaged in the Central Okanagan region — including Ken Hiscoe and Joan Robinson’s home.
Hiscoe built his house more than 30 years ago, with his own hands.
“We have a lot of memories of the place, we had a lot of company over there. And now it’s all gone,” said Hiscoe.
Robinson said when they first arrived at their property it was a devastating sight.
“It is amazing how some of the houses are still standing, but it also amazing how the fire came through and made ashes to others. One will be standing but the other is in ashes, ours is in ashes,” said Robinson
“When you look across, you don’t see the beauty anymore — all the trees are black sticks.”
Officials announced on Thursday that the White Rock Lake wildfire is now considered being held.
The BC Wildfire Service is also warning returning residents of potential dangers that remain in the area.
“Please note that an area restriction is in effect for this fire and no hunting is permitted,” wrote BCWS in a release.
“There are extreme dangers within the wildfire perimeter like ash pits, falling trees, falling rock, unstable slopes, burnt over roads.”
Additional security is in place in the fire-impacted zone to support the return of residents to their neighbourhoods.