Residents of more than 250 properties southeast of the Okanagan Falls have been ordered to abandon their homes and infrastructure immediately as a newly detected wildfire burns out of control.
The Upper Park Rill Creek fire was spotted Friday around 6 a.m. and is currently burning an estimated 200 hectares of land north of Oliver and Keremeos, according to the BC Wildfire Service.
The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen’s first evacuation order applies to:
- Electoral Area C, including addresses on Yellowbrick and Willowbrook roads
- Electoral Area G, including addresses on Grand Oro Road
- Electoral Area I, covering Grand Oro Road east to White Lake Road
A second evacuation order applies to Electoral Area C’s Willowbrook, Madden Lake and Ripley Lake areas, and Electoral Area G’s properties on Grand Oro Road.
A third evacuation alert — not yet an order — targets around 245 properties in Electoral Area C west of 99th and 97th streets, Upper Fairview Road and the area west of Willowbrook, a single large property west of the Grand Oro Road area, and Green Lake Road in Electoral Area I.
RCMP are expected to flood the area to support the evacuations. Impacted residents are encouraged to register themselves online at ess.gov.bc.ca.
An emergency centre has been opened at 199 Ellis St. in Penticton for those in need of immediate assistance. Residents who can arrange accommodations with friends or family are encouraged to do so.
Anyone in need of transportation assistance or support for commercial farm animals can call the district at 250-490-4225 and other emergency support is available by phone at 250-486-1890.
Hobby farmers or those who need help saving pets can call the Animal Emergency Response Team at 250-809-7152.
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