White Rock Lake update / return home information session

News release No. 52 — Central Okanagan, B.C. — Aug 31 2021@5:57 – Multiple agencies continued their fire suppression and assessment work today within the Central Okanagan West Electoral Area neighbourhoods impacted by the White Rock Lake wildfire, with the aim of returning residents to their homes as soon as safely possible in the coming days.

The BC Wildfire Service has not made any recommended changes today to evacuation orders. BCWS and North Westside Fire Rescue remind everyone that the 81,362-hectare White Rock Lake wildfire remains active and out of control with 345 wildland firefighters, 52 structure protection personnel, seven helicopters, five danger tree assessors/fallers and 38 pieces of heavy machinery working in the area. Visit the BC Wildfires of Note webpage for more information.

BC Transportation and Infrastructure continues post-wildfire damage assessments and mitigation work and Westside Road remains closed for more than 31 kilometres between Shalal and Irish Creek Roads until further notice; for updates, visit www.drivebc.ca.

The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Rapid Damage Assessment Team is determining whether remaining structures are safe for continued occupancy.

“Our Rapid Damage Assessment Team is focusing on neighbourhoods known to have fire damaged homes and more than 250 homes have been inspected and the team anticipates completing their work Thursday,” says Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre Director Corie Griffiths. “We strongly encourage people to attend our Returning Home Information Session on what to expect when they can ultimately return home.”

The information session is geared towards Central Okanagan West Electoral Area residents who have been evacuated as a result of the White Rock Lake Wildfire. The session will be livestreamed Wednesday, Sept. 1 between 4 and 5 p.m. at www.youtube.com/regionaldistrict where they will learn about:

• The Rapid Damage Assessment process, which determines whether a structure is unsafe for continued occupancy, and communicates specific hazards to those returning to their properties through a green, orange, or red placard placed on each assessed structure:
  • Green, minor or no fire damage
  • Orange, restricted use
  • Red, unsafe
• Updates on efforts to restore water, power and other utilities
• Dangers that may exist on the surrounding property including tree fall, ash and other visible and hidden hazards to expect after a wildfire
• Health and mental well-being supports
• Coordinated waste management services

CORD Emergency will post a recording of the information session on the Regional District of Central Okanagan YouTube channel for those unable to watch in real time or who want to revisit information provided during the session.

As the session is public, the meeting will not be an opportunity for residents to ask questions about specific properties; however, the Regional District has already directly contacted residents whose properties have been substantially damaged by the wildfire.

The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre is also preparing a Returning Home Guide that will be available to residents prior to their return home. Residents will find this and other resources on the EOC website at www.cordemergency.ca/resources.

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News release No. 51 — Central Okanagan, B.C. — A Returning Home Information Session for Central Okanagan West Electoral Area residents, who have been evacuated due to the White Rock Lake Wildfire, will be held Wednesday, Sept. 1 between 4 and 5 p.m. at www.youtube.com/regionaldistrict.

Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre (CORD Emergency) staff will livestream the meeting. No registration is required. CORD Emergency will also post a recording of the information session on the YouTube channel for those unable to watch in real time or who want to revisit information provided during the session.

“This meeting will help residents with what they might see, some of the things they can do in advance and what they should expect as they return home in days ahead,” says Emergency Operations Centre Director Corie Griffiths. “Subject matter experts will provide general information for Central Okanagan West Electoral Area based on housing, road and utility assessments that are being conducted in the area.”

As the session is public, the meeting will not be an opportunity for residents to ask questions about specific properties; however, the Regional District has already directly contacted residents whose properties have been substantially damaged by the wildfire.

Residents attending the session will hear information about what to expect when returning to their homes in the Central Okanagan West Electoral Area including:

• The status of homes based on assessments that are underway, including:
  • Green, minor or no fire damage
  • Orange, restricted use
  • Red, unsafe
• Updates on efforts to restore water, power and other utilities
• Dangers that may exist on the surrounding property including tree fall, burnt trees and root structures and other visible and hidden hazards to expect after a wildfire
• Health and mental health supports
• Garbage and waste management services available

The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre is also preparing a Returning Home Guide that will be available to residents prior to their return home. Residents will find this and other resources on the EOC website at www.cordemergency.ca/resources.

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No. 50 Central Okanagan, B.C. — Aug 31 2021 – Crews continue their work on suppressing the White Rock Lake wildfire and conducting safety assessments for the 81,362-hectare White Rock Lake wildfire, which the BC Wildfire Service classifies as out of control.

Multiple agencies, including the BC Wildfire Service and the Regional District of Central Okanagan are dedicating all necessary resources to safely assess the risks to properties in the area, including tree fall hazards, slope stability and spot fires. This risk assessment work is required prior to making any determinations on when residents will be able to safety return home.

The BC Wildfire Service will provide recommendations, as soon as possible, on when evacuation orders or alerts associated with the White Rock Lake Wildfire can be amended. By mid-week, it is anticipated that residents will be provided with a Return Home Guide and be invited to attend a Return Home Information Session. More details on this information session will be provided as soon as they are confirmed.

“This is a hard time for all the residents of the North Westside community, which includes the firefighters. North Westside Fire Rescue crews are working daily on extinguishing the wildfire, alongside with all agencies, day and night to bring an end to the evacuation order,” says Northwest Fire Chief Alex Van Bruksvoort. “I ask daily for your patience, and today is no different as we get closer to bringing the residents home. Patience is our strength, and listening to wrong information weakens all of us.”

The BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure continues to assess the safety and condition of Westside Road and conduct necessary mitigation before the highway can be reopened. Westside Road remains closed for more than 31 kilometres between Shalal and Irish Creek Roads until further notice.

BC Wildfire Services says planned ignitions on the White Rock Lake wildfire were completed Monday evening. The area where ignitions occurred will continue to burn and produce smoke over the next several days. The ignitions have brought the fire down to established control lines in several key areas on the northeast of the fire. This has reduced the risk of further growth and impacts in the interface, which is the area of the fire that poses a risk to structures. Securing these northeast perimeters allows the BC Wildfire Service to recommend to local authorities when their Evacuation Orders and Alerts may be downgraded.

At this time, the evacuation Order for 1,316 properties and 850 properties on Alert in the North Westside communities within the RDCO remain in place.

To date 78 properties have been confirmed as having sustained significant damage. Those owners have been contacted. As assessment work continues it is likely that additional properties under evacuation order will have had some damage that could cause the home to be temporarily unsafe to live in until remediation work can be undertaken.

Central Okanagan evacuees can find out more about Emergency Support Services by calling 250-469-8512 or by visiting the Central Okanagan ESS Reception Centre at 1480 Sutherland Avenue, Kelowna, open noon to 6 p.m. today. The following rules apply:

• Evacuated residents WITH homeowner or tenant insurance will not be given an extension for coverage and should immediately contact their insurance provider to find out what coverage is available.
• Evacuated residents WITHOUT homeowner or tenant insurance may receive support and should contact Emergency Support Services.

You can visit the Insurance Bureau of Canada for more information on the process of an insurance claim as a result of a BC wildfire at www.ibc.ca/ns/disaster/bcwildfire.

There are eligibility requirements for emergency support services. Homeowner or tenant insurance may provide greater support than the Emergency Support Services program. Check with your insurer to determine what may be available to you. For details on eligibility, see the Evacuee Living Assistance Policy (PDF, 378KB).

For more information about this wildfire, visit cordemergency.ca, BC Wildfire Services and sign up for e-updates, follow the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre on facebook.com/cordemergency or twitter.com/CO_emerg or call the information line at 250-469-8490.

Media

AM 1150 – iHeartRadio.ca – Aug 31 2021@6:15 PM Evacuees a step closer to going home (Thursday,” says Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre Director Corie Griffiths. “We strongly…)

Castanet.net  Colin Dacre  – Aug 31 2021@3:38 PM (also Vernon Matters) Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre holding online session for evacuees (Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre (CORD Emergency) staff will…)

Global News – Aug 31 2021@2:37 PM  (also Daily Courier, Castanet) B.C. wildfires drop to 225 as some rain moves in but caution still urged (short notice. The emergency operations centre for the central Okanagan says the BC Wildfire Service…)