Canadian Wildfire Update
More Than 5,000 People Under Evacuation Orders in B.C.
Here’s your Canadian wildfire update, and unfortunately, it’s not a good one.
So far this year, Canada has recorded 4,453 wildfires.
Of those, 3,678 have been brought under control, but 775 fires are still burning.
Currently, 154 wildfires are receiving a full response, meaning they’re being supported with all available provincial and federal firefighting resources. Of those, 57 remain out of control.
British Columbia continues to be one of the hardest-hit provinces.
More than 5,000 people are currently under evacuation orders as crews battle multiple fast-moving wildfires across the province.
The largest evacuation order is centred around the Quilpituk Creek wildfire, where 2,223 properties are under evacuation order and another 425 properties are under evacuation alert.
Further north in the North Okanagan, the Bradley Creek wildfire has forced additional evacuation orders and alerts after destroying numerous homes along the lakeshore.
One of the biggest reasons these fires spread so quickly over the weekend was the weather.
On Saturday, wind gusts in parts of the Kelowna-to-Vernon corridor reached 115 km/h, creating dangerous fire conditions and allowing several fires to grow rapidly.
Unfortunately, the forecast isn’t offering much relief.
Both Kelowna and Vernon are expected to remain hot and dry throughout much of the week, conditions that make it much harder for firefighters to contain existing fires and increase the risk of new ones starting.
For wildfire crews, the weather may prove to be the biggest challenge in the days ahead.
To everyone on the front lines fighting these fires, and to the thousands of people who have been forced from their homes, stay safe.
I’ll continue to keep you updated as the situation develops.
The Bradley Creek Fire near Vernon at the lake head, and the Quilpituk Creek fire further south on the west side of the lake are still burning out of control tonight but luckily it has not been windy, so they are no longer spreading. Here in Kelowna it is terribly smokey tonight, and the sunset looked like the end of the world. I have had my car packed since Saturday night when I saw smoke across the lake in the area that burned in 2023, and where the fire jumped the lake into my neighbourhood. This time we were lucky, and they got that fire under control by Sunday morning.
This weekend has been devastating especially for the Okanagan Indian Band. We have learned today, Tuesday, that they have lost 230 homes/ structures.
💔😞
This makes me so sad. I lived in Seattle forever and spent so much time in BC (the most beautiful Cdn province to me), drove across the Rockies along these very areas on our move to Toronto -- and yes, there were some fires in these same areas in 2023 (Okanagan, Vernon). I'm also sad about Spokane, WA where we have friends in the area. And then there's the wildfires in northwestern ON. Yes, the country is being hammered, seems worse & worse over time. I am sending good vibes to our hero firefighters. My family's helping out from Toronto with emergency wildfire kits, sorting supplies & donations, etc. To those who can, please donate.