Top Stories – July 18 – Westside Rd Fire

BC Wildfire ground crews, aircraft, and local firefighters were called to a wildfire above Westside Road, north of the Lake Okanagan Resort about 6 last evening. The wind added to the danger of fighting it as tankers dropped retardant to try and keep the spread in check . Other air tankers repeatedly scooped up water from the lake. Around 8 the aerial attack was paying off and the smoke turned white and flames weren’t visible as the size was estimated at 5 hectares at the time. The cause was under investigation and the power went out for a number of customers in the area. And for those who remember, it was 9 years ago yesterday that the Smith Creek fire started in West Kelowna, before growing to 260 hectares.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says the first Canadian Armed Forces troops are in the province ready to help battle wildfires. Plans are underway to decide where they will be sent as 23 blazes are classified as fires of note. He says firefighters and communities in the wildfire zones will be happy to see the troops as well as equipment to contain the fires.

Nike is permanently ending its partnership with Hockey Canada in the wake of the sexual assault scandal. It was among several major partners that had paused its sponsorship deal last year following criticism of Hockey Canada’s handling of sexual assault allegations and settlement payouts.

West Kelowna has now implemented the Stage 2 water restrictions we told you about last week. It means properties with even numbered addresses can water on Tuesday and Saturday, while those with odd numbered addresses are limited to Wednesday and Sunday. The city says it is making the change because below normal precipitation and high demand are causing reservoir levels to decline rapidly.

Central Okanagan East and West electoral area property owners could get a rebate for taking recommended FireSmart actions. A FireSmart Coordinator will provide a personalized property assessment with recommended actions that will help reduce the potential fire hazard on the property. To get started, visit the program webpage at rdco.com/firesmart .

Five people are still being treated in hospital more than a month after a minibus carrying seniors crashed with a semi-trailer on the Trans-Canada highway in Manitoba. The provincial health authority says there are no more patients from the crash in intensive care. The June 15th collision killed 17 people.

A brawl erupted on Leon Avenue in Kelowna Sunday evening between a bunch of guys who knew each other. Lots of police descended to the area around Ethel after word that a gun may have been part of it. In the end, one person was taken into custody while another was taken to hospital.

The man killed and the woman seriously injured over the weekend at Quebec’s Mont Tremblant resort were from Ontario. They were ejected from a gondola climbing Mont-Tremblant when their cable car hit a drilling machine. Police say it’s still unclear why the machine was so close, but it hit an unoccupied gondola before it collided with the second car.

Meta’s new social media platform, Threads, is gobbling up massive amounts of sensitive data on its 100 million-plus users. Tech experts say the quantity of personal info it can access poses a risk to most users if it falls into the wrong hands or is used to target them. It also keeps tabs on what you’re doing with messages you send and receive, and details on purchases made, including credit card info.

Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays begin three games at home today against the San Diego Padres. Toronto is 3rd in the American League East while San Diego is 4th in the National League West.

The Kelowna Falcons are in Central Oregon for 3 games as they begin a series with the Corvallis Knights tonight.

Connor Bedard celebrated his 18th birthday by signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Blackhawks. It carries a cap hit of $950,000 with an additional $3.5 million available in performance bonuses.