Top Stories – Aug 17 – Evac Alerts

There are evacuation alerts in place for a number of areas on the west side due to the McDougall Creek Wildfire. There are too many streets to mention so the best and most up to date place to get them is at cordemergency.ca where there is a map that will let you zoom in to the affected areas in the orange borders. This is a precautionary alert at this time. As of last night the fire had grown to 64 hectares, doubling in size during the day yesterday. In the drop down menu on the website there is info on how to be prepared for emergencies.

RCMP say the 4 guys suspected of knocking over a statue in downtown Kelowna early Saturday morning have been identified. They were caught on camera nearby and in a liquor store. Police thank everyone for their help and because the matter is still ongoing, no further information is being released for now.

Merritt is the latest community to enact strict water restrictions. By moving to Level 5, it’s banning lawn watering or garden sprinklers. Even flowers, trees and shrubs can’t be watered, meaning only vegetable gardens and fruit trees can be watered using valved hoses or drip irrigation. And don’t even think about washing the car or topping up the pool.

The Northwest Territorries government announced an evacuation of the capital city of Yellowknife last night because of the threat of the wildfires. Evacuation will take place in a phased approach and there is no immediate threat to the city. They have already evacuated Fort Smith, Jean Marie River and Hay River, and there are reports much of the hamlet of Enterprise is gone. Fires have shut down many highways, prompting the territory to launch the largest airlift in its history.

Kelowna will be one of a number of communities sharing grants from the province to help plan for extreme heat and cold. The $30,000 will be used to create a map that will be regularly updated with locations where services support vulnerable people during extreme temperatures. Mayor Tom Dyas says the plan will ensure Kelowna works with community service providers and those with lived experience to mitigate the related health and safety risks.

Something to keep in mind if you’re driving downtown on Saturday. The 400 and 500 blocks of Bernard Avenue will be closed to vehicle traffic from 7am until about 6pm. Parking won’t be allowed after 5am and any vehicles will be courtesy towed to the City Hall parking lot. It’s to allow for the annual Show and Shine Car Show.

The Kelowna Fire Dept. is investigating the cause of yesterday’s wildfire on the south slopes of Mission Creek, above Creekside Rd, and below Dunster Rd in East Kelowna. Crews initially found a fire approximately 100ft x 200ft and got help from BC Wildfire with a helicopter to drop water along the flanks. 27 KFD members were deployed to bring it under control and there were no injuries or loss of property.

Two wildfires burning southwest of Keremeos since mid-July have now merged. It’s being called the Crater Creek fire and has burned an estimated 10,000 hectares. About 80 campers were evacuated from the Cathedral Lakes region after being told earlier to shelter in place because the road was impassible.

The body of the man who went missing on Kalamalka Lake while kayaking last month in a storm has been located. RCMP say 26-year-old Eli Buruca was found in deep water at the north of the lake near Coldstream and was recovered by the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team yesterday. The search continues for the captain of a fishing vessel that overturned on Okanagan Lake during the storm.

SPORTS

The Edmonton Elks, with Chris Jones still at the helm will attempt to get their first win of the season tonight in Hamilton. The kickoff for week 11 in the CFL is at 4:30.

The Blue Jays are off today before they head to Cincinnati for a weekend series against the Reds. Last night in Toronto, the home team lost 9-4 to the Phillies.

The PGA Tour playoffs continue this week with the BMW Championship in Illinois. Four Canadians are in the field and hope to make the cut for the next event.