Top Stories – Aug 22 – Making Progress

The heavy smoke continues to prevent BC Wildfire from getting a complete mapping of the size of the McDougall Creek fire as more than 20,000 properties remain on evacuation order or alert. Structural loss recording and mapping is underway and an advance planning team has been formed to work on return to home. Police say there have been no confirmed break and enters in evacuation zones. Fires remain out of control but firefighters continue to make excellent progress and are not expecting any explosive growth. In some cases, paid on call firefighters are working the fires and then going back to do their normal jobs. The loss estimate so far is 50 structures on west side, 5 in Kelowna and 2-3 in Lake Country, but the most damaged neighbourhoods in West Kelowna are still to be assessed. West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund says Smith Creek, Tallus Ridge, Shannon Lake, Lenz Road Trailer Park and Rose Valley neighbourhoods have had no loss of structures from the McDougall Creek fire. Evacuees will not be able to go home until it is safe which includes things like downed power lines and unsafe structures.

Kelowna RCMP is still receiving reports of unauthorized drones in the active fire and evacuated areas, including one in the Clifton and Rio area. The flights can ground crucial aircraft that are battling the wild fires and cause more harm than good. Anyone who’s caught flying their drone unlawfully will be charged and their aircraft will be seized.

Premier David Eby is calling on Meta to reverse its decision to block Canadian news from being shared online in BC, saying it feels like it is holding the province “ransom” in its ongoing spat with Ottawa. He says the decision to permanently ban Canadian news on Facebook and Instagram is “incredibly frustrating” and he
While the estimate so far is just under 60, there is no official count yet of how many homes have been destroyed in the fires, but officials have acknowledged damage is significant. They hope to be able to start reaching out to evacuees over the next few days to inform them if their homes have survived the fire. That’s one of the reasons it is important to register if you have been evacuated. Registration centres are at Royal LePage Place in West Kelowna, Kal Tire Place in Vernon or online through the link at cordemergency.ca .

A Kelowna teacher has been charged with Child Luring. RCMP began an investigation in May after allegations that a teacher engaged in inappropriate communication with a student. The teacher was arrested and placed on a number of conditions and now Jeffrey Allen Jennens has been charged.

Premier David Eby says there will be support for the Okanagan Shuswap tourism industry impacted by the wildfires, but didn’t specify what that would look like. Hotel rooms are being opened up by tourists leaving and are being filled with firefighters and evacuees.

Crews battling the wildfire near Yellowknife are working to extinguish flames along the front line. A weekend of cooler temperatures, favourable winds and some rain allowed firefighters to switch from defence to offence. The blaze remains about 15 kilometres from the territorial capital, which was mostly evacuated last week.

SPORTS

The Toronto Blue Jays have their first of 3 games in Baltimore later today. They find themselves just outside of the last American League wildcard place at this point.

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers will reportedly start in the team’s final preseason game on Saturday against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.

Former Canucks defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson is selling his lavish Vancouver home. The Kitsilano property is steps away from the beach and only five minutes away from Rogers Arena by car and is listed for $6.8 Million.