Evacuation alert still in effect for Vernon
UPDATE: 12:00 p.m.
The BC Wildfire Service estimates the White Rock Lake wildfire was 100 to 250 metres west of Okanagan Lake as of Friday evening.
“At this time, we don’t believe it has crossed Westside Road in any places. We will have crews out as soon as possible to see where fire growth has occurred over the last 24 hours,” said Shannon Street, fire information officer with the BC Wildfire Service on Saturday morning.
Street was not aware of any structures damaged, saying that is the responsibility of the regional districts and the Okanagan Indian Band to report on that.
Listen to the full interview below.
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Many areas within the City of Vernon boundaries remain under Evacuation Alert (areas excluded are listed lower in this story).
At this time, no areas within the City of Vernon boundaries have been issued an Evacuation Order.
The change in weather including the rain has helped the situation improve, but residents are asked to exercise caution and be prepared in the event of an Evacuation Order.
This means making accommodation plans prior to being evacuated and making sure you and your family have a plan and are ready to go immediately in the event of an evacuation order.
The BC Wildfire Service issued the following update on the White Rock Lake fire at 9:21 this morning:
Yesterday (Friday, Aug. 6), southwesterly winds, gusting upwards of 40 km/hr, and Rank 4/5 fire behaviour is challenged suppression efforts. Into the evening, the flank that was threatening to push northeast towards Spallumcheen slowed once it approached the Siwash Creek area. Strong winds contributed to an increase in fire behaviour in the Whiteman Creek Road area.
Predominant fire growth over the past 24-hours was along the eastern flank, west of Westside Road. This eastern flank is very visible to surrounding communities, and in certain areas the fire is approximately 100-250 metres west of Okanagan Lake.
Through the evening, temperatures dropped into the mid-teens with winds out of the southwest continuing to gust upwards of 30 km/hr. Today, winds on-site will be similar to yesterday, south/southwest 10-20 km/hr with gusts 25-40 km/hr. Isolated showers in the vicinity will provide a slight reprieve through the weekend. However, where sustained winds align with terrain features high spread rates and active fire behaviour is still expected.
Temperatures tomorrow will dip into the mid-teens with light northwest winds. Into next week, a flat upper ridge will begin to build on Monday bringing warm and dry conditions back to the region. (BC Wildfire Service update)
BCWS still estimates the fire size at 55,000 hectares.
There have been no official reports of damage as of this point, but an update on that is expected sometime today.
The Vernon ESS Reception Centre is anticipating a high volume of evacuees from neighbouring communities throughout the day, and as such, is asking everyone to register online at ess.gov.bc.ca
Staff and volunteers are working as hard as they can to provide services and support to those who have been displaced. We ask that the public and media respect the privacy of individuals accessing the Vernon ESS Reception Centre and provide space for staff to assist.
The City of Vernon is also reminding residents that while offers of donations, food and accommodations are incredibly generous, the City can not accept these kind gestures. The City simply does not have the resources to manage multiple accommodation sites or manage donations of cash, food and clothing.
It is being suggested that residents who wish to make these types of donations, reach out to organizations such as the Canadian Red Cross or Salvation Army.
Areas excluded from the current Evacuation Alert.
- Predator Ridge and Sparkling Hill neighbourhoods
- Okanagan Landing South neighbourhoods (areas of Eastside Road, The Outback, Ellison Provincial Park Inkster, Delcliffe, Whitepoint, Smith Road, Peters Road, Kokanee/Sunset properties, Harbour Heights, Beverly Hills Estates)
- Commonage Area, south of Bench Row Road
The City of Vernon would like to thank everyone for their efforts during these difficult and stressful times.