state of emergency in homes near West Kelowna

Premier David Eby announced a provincial state of emergency at a news conference Friday, urging British Columbians to stay alert, listen to local officials and follow evacuation orders. 

“If you get an evacuation order, please leave,” Eby said. He also asked people to avoid non-essential travel to affected areas. 

According to Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma, the number of people under evacuation order in B.C. went from 4,500 to 15,000 in an hour, and 20,000 more people are under evacuation alert. 

A list of evacuation orders and alerts is posted online by Emergency Info B.C.

The announcement came after a significant number of homes were destroyed by a fast-burning wildfire in the West Kelowna area, as crews fight through what the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) has predicted would be the most challenging days of the provincial fire season, due to gusting winds.

The extreme conditions in the area are not expected to let up over the next 36 hours, and fires across the province may see significant growth, provincial officials say.

More than 2,400 properties are under an evacuation order, and more than 4,800 properties are under an evacuation alert due to the encroaching McDougall Creek wildfire, which grew more than a hundredfold — from 64 hectares to 6,800 hectares (68 square kilometres) — in just 24 hours. 

More than 700 residents from eight senior care homes in the area are also being transferred to safe locations.

Interior Health says it has established a phone line where families can receive updates on the location of their loved ones.

Kelowna has a population of approximately 150,000 residents, while West Kelowna has about 36,000.

Of the 378 active fires in the province, 142 of them remain out of control, and more than a dozen of those are either highly visible or a threat to a community.

Around 3,400 firefighters are deployed across the province, with dozens from other jurisdictions, such as Mexico and Costa Rica.

source:

https://www.cbc.ca/