COF volunteers and staff spent approximately 350 hours during the past few months receiving and dispersing the monies that accumulated into two funds: the COF's Fire Relief Fund that received contributions from across the country, and the local media's Yellow Ribbon Campaign that collected from thousands of BC residents and visitors. Media members later requested the COF manage distribution of campaign funds. The COF's wrap-up report to the community details how $271,923 has been distributed to eligible individuals identified either through the Unmet Needs Committee or through the Kelowna and Area Okanagan Fire Recovery Society. With representation from the COF, the City of Kelowna and others such as the Red Cross and the Salvation Army, the Unmet Needs Committee met weekly to discuss and distribute funds to individuals with urgent needs.

"The COF also worked closely with Kelowna Fire Recovery Society to develop a process, a formula and an application form. The relationship with the City was critical to the smooth functioning of this group, and their assistance was invaluable," explains Janice Henry, COF Executive Director.

Six registered charities were also allocated $94,000 through a special COF grant cycle early this winter. Each of these groups incurred significant expenses or losses due to the forest fire storm; they are the BC-SPCA, the Myra Canyon Trestle Restoration Society, Friends of the South Slopes, the Kelowna Community Food Bank Society, Scouts Canada (Camp Dunlop rehabilitation), and the City of Kelowna for the Quilchena Playground at Kettle Valley. These grants reflect most of the COF's Fire Relief Fund of $88,000 plus a portion of the Yellow Ribbon funds.

In total, donations to the Yellow Ribbon campaign to date amount to $313, 813, with some donations still trickling in, and to the COF Fire Relief Fund, a total of $88,817. The approximately $36,000 that has yet to be allocated will likely be given out during one of the COF's two regular granting cycles this year. Application deadline for the next grant cycle is March 15. "We are confident it will happen over the next few months, especially as some new consequences of the fire may crop up this spring," explains Henry. She also noted that there is "talk of a commemorative project that may require some funding." Both the Yellow Ribbon and the Fire Relief funds held by the COF are flow-through funds, meaning that the monies are not endowed but used directly in the local community. Administration costs were not charged for management of these funds.

The majority of funds came from the Central Okanagan Fire Relief Fund, monies that were contributed to the COF from caring and concerned people throughout Canada.

"We saw such an outpouring of concern, much of it from Foundation friends outside our community, and they were looking for a fund that would deliver to the neediest constituents. We put together this special flow-through fund to accomplish that goal," explains Janice Henry, COF Executive Director. This means that none of the monies are endowed and are "flowing through" the COF directly into the community. The grant total was enhanced with a contribution from CIBC Wood Gundy.

The Food Bank Society and the SPCA participated fully in the forest fire rescue and relief efforts. Myra Canyon Trestles and Quilchena Playground were damaged by the forest fire and need to be resurrected. Friends of the South Slopes Society will rebuild recreational trails in the Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park and the Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park. At Camp Dunlop, Scouts Canada needs to address a severely fire-ravaged area with reforestation and replacement of campsites, the rope course, and two bridges. The COF hosts two grant cycles during a normal year, as well as one from COFFY, the youth branch. The forest fires this year created the extraordinary need for this additional Fire Relief grant cycle plus disbursion of Yellow Ribbon Campaign funds, performed by the COF on behalf of the local media, which collected these fire emergency funds. The deadline for the next regular grant cycles of the COF and COFFY is March 15. The COF invested a principal pool of approximately $6.5 million in the last funding year, returning the interest to the community.

Aerial Seeding Erosion Control Program (October  29 - 3:09 pm)
The Ministry of Forests is planning an Aerial Seeding Erosion Control Program for private and public properties in the South Slopes area between Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park and Bellevue Creek that were damaged by the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. The program includes approximately 50 properties adjacent to Deeper, Varty, Bertram, Lebanon (Cedar) and Bellevue Creeks between Okanagan Lake and the 1,400 metre elevation contour line as well as properties located adjacent to the interface zone. Not all affected properties will be treated with aerial seeding as the target areas will be steeper slopes where vegetative cover was removed by the wildfire.

Eligible property owners are required to sign a waiver by 4 p.m. on Friday, October 31, 2003. Staff has already contacted the majority of property owners in the South Slopes area who have overwhelmingly endorsed the program. However, due to the short notice they have not been able to contact everyone. If you would like to take advantage of this program and have not yet signed a waiver you are asked to do so immediately.

If your property is located within the project area and within the City of Kelowna you are asked to sign the waiver at City Hall, 1435 Water Street. City Hall is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If your property is located outside the City of Kelowna, but within the Regional District boundary you are asked to sign the waiver at the Regional District Office, 1450 KLO Road. The Regional District office is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The program is the first stage of re-vegetation and erosion control in fire damaged areas. The seeding will help establish grass assisting with erosion control. Benefits of the program are expected to increase as the area matures. The grass mixture also provides forage for animals and helps to transform the soil back to conditions suitable for further natural rehabilitation.

Properties in the interface zone will be seeded with an interface seed mix as will all creek side properties. Crown forest areas above 1,400 metres will be seeded with a different seed mix.

The Ministry of Forests is hoping to commence aerial seeding early next week. The seeding, which is weather dependent, must be completed before there is consistent freezing on the slopes.

If you have any questions regarding the project or the eligibility of your property please contact Mark Watt, City of Kelowna, at 862-3339, local 343 or Stacey Harding, Regional District of the Central Okanagan, at 878-0151.
 

Kelowna Facing Fire Suit (October  28 - 8:00 am)
The City of Kelowna is facing a possible lawsuit over the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. It says it has received notice from a number of insurance companies that claims related to the Okanagan Mountain Park fire are pending against the city. "The insurance companies are seeking to recover costs resulting from claims made by residential insurance policy holders. The notices from insurers do not indicate the basis for claims against the city of Kelowna." The city says it does not consider itself responsible for any losses suffered by insurance companies.

Fire Fighters Paid This Week (October  28 - 8:00 am)
The cheques are in the mail. Premier Gordon Campbell says firefighters who battled this summer's wildfires in B.C. should be paid in full by the end of the week. Some firefighters and the NDP launched criticism at the Campbell government after it was learned that some firefighters were still waiting for their pay cheques. Campbell says local governments could have paid their firefighters if they wanted but waited for the province to cover the bills. The government has freed up $6 million for the payments.

BC Sending California Fire Aid (October  28 - 8:00 am)
The state of California has asked BC for some help in battling wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of homes and killed more than a dozen people. Solicitor General Rich Coleman says California has asked for firefighting equipment. He says, so far, California has not asked for any fire fighters. More than 800 homes have burned to the ground and 13 people have been killed -- most in their cars trying to flee the flames. Meanwhile, officials say that at least two of the fires were set intentionally. They say if the people are caught, they could face murder charges.

Municipalities Get Fire Money (October  27 - 8:00 am)
The provincial and Federal governments' have written a seven million dollar cheque for the fire-ravaged B.C. Interior. Premier Gordon Campbell and Defense Minister John McCallum say the money will be transferred to municipal governments this week to pay firefighters overtime costs and other expenses. It is estimated that the money will pay up to 60 per cent of local government claims.

It can also help the rebuilding effort after the firestorm that hit the Okanagan and Thompson areas this past August. Kamloops Mayor Mel Rothenburger says the most pressing needs are damages to the forest and agriculture industries. There are also all the homes that were lost, many of which were uninsured in the Thompson area. Some 238 homes were wiped out in Kelowna from the Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire. Thousands more have suffered smoke and water damage and the cleanup will take some time. Most of the aid package is expected to be split between Kamloops and Kelowna.

Governor General Presents Medals (October  27 - 8:00 am)
The Governor General handed out medals while on a tour of Kelowna Saturday. Her Excellency Adrienne Clarkson presented six exemplary service medals recognizing 20 years of work to firefighters in Kelowna Saturday at the main fire hall. John Kelly lost his home in the Okanagan Mountain Park fire in August. He said he was pleased to receive the long service award from the Governor General but it would have meant just as much coming from Fire Chief Gerry Zimmermann in front of his peers. Others awarded include Kelowna Assistant Fire Chief Sydney Lebeau, James Thompson from Lake Country, Nigel Watts from Salmon Arm, Martin Coenraads from Naramata and Eric Paterson from Kaleden. The Governor General and her husband also took a short walking tour of Kelowna's cultural district Saturday, and got a first hand look at some of the fire damaged homes in the Kettle valley subdivision. The day ended with an evening reception at St. Hubertus Winery. The Governor General was scheduled for an air tour of BC's Interior Sunday to check out more of the summer's fire damage and also handed out service medals in Barriere.
 

Tax Grab For T-shirts (October  27 - 8:00 am)
The federal government still wants its share of taxes due from the sale of t-shirts commemorating the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. Kelowna Volunteer Firefighters sold 40,000 of them at $15 each but did not collect the provincial sales tax or the federal goods and services tax. The provincial government has since given up charging PST on the $600,000 brought in from sales of the t-shirts. But Ottawa still wants its money despite discussions about the possibility of a policy that could waive the taxes. That could mean as much as $40,000 not going to victims of this summer's fires.
 

Governor General In Kelowna (October  25 - 9:36 am)
Governor General Adrienne Clarkson is due to arrive in Kelowna today. She's here to view the destruction from the Okanagan Mountain Park fire and will be making a medal presentation at the main fire hall. On Sunday, she will be travelling to Kamloops to view the fire destruction in that area and then return to Kelowna where she will be visiting students at Constable Neil Bruce Middle School.
 

Feds Provide $100 Million in Initial Disaster Assistance (October  25 - 9:36 am)
VANCOUVER - The Government of Canada will provide a $100 million advance under the national Disaster Financial Assistance program to help meet British Columbia's costs from this year's wildfires. The announcement was made today by the Honourable John McCallum, Minister of National Defence, and Premier Gordon Campbell.

"The Government of Canada is very concerned about the extensive damage that was caused by the wildfires in British Columbia," said Minister McCallum. "I have seen first hand the devastation that these fires caused. I directed that federal officials work closely with their provincial counterparts to make this advance payment available so quickly."

 "Federal auditors met recently with provincial officials to review damage estimates and to determine a reasonable advance payment in accordance with the existing national guidelines.  This payment under the Government of Canada's Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements will help to offset British Columbia's emergency response and recovery expenditures, and will allow the province to continue with its reconstruction efforts," added Minister McCallum.

"The federal government immediately responded to our request for disaster financial assistance, and worked quickly and co-operatively to provide advance funding," Campbell said. "I want to thank Minister McCallum and the federal government for their hard work to begin assisting the province right away with the costs we have incurred.

"It's important to note, the province has already committed an estimated $550 million in costs related to the fires, including $20 million in emergency shelter and relief for individuals. Today's funding will help meet a portion of the costs we have already incurred, and we'll continue working together to secure additional federal assistance as the province's total costs are assessed and finalized."

The funding is being provided as an advance payment under the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements to assist the province in meeting immediate needs for response costs in several areas, including: fighting interface fires by municipal fire departments, Ministry of Forests' crews and air attack resources; provision of emergency shelter for fire victims and evacuees; and providing emergency operations centres, support to volunteers, emergency water treatment, transportation route clearance and extra policing.

The province will be considered for further funding for its response and recovery costs once a final assessment of all expenses is completed. Additional items for which the province will be eligible include recovery costs related to: watershed restoration to maintain safe drinking water; public infrastructure including bridges, fencing and debris removal; and reconstruction of trestles damaged on the Kettle Valley Railway to return
them for use as a recreational corridor.

To date, the province has identified an estimated $550 million in total costs related to wildfires, including $20 million in emergency costs for individuals to assist the more than 37,500 evacuees who registered for emergency food, clothing and accommodation. This includes $4 million for residents of Barriere, McLure and Louis Creek, $15 million for residents of Kelowna and the remainder for other evacuees provincewide.

In addition to provincial emergency services, several not-for-profit and community agencies have provided assistance to individuals, including $8.7 million raised by the North Thompson Relief Fund, the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. To date, the North Thompson Relief Fund has already provided $1.6 million to 30 individual families for assistance, including individual allotments of $55,000 worth of building materials to construct new homes, with labour costs donated by other volunteer agencies such as Habitat for Humanity and the Mennonite Disaster Services.

The province is also working, together with the federal government, to develop other forms of economic development assistance.

Fire Caused Chute Lake Road Flooding (October  24 - 7:29 am) 
Thursday's flooding in the Lakeshore/Chute Lake road area can be attributed to the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. A wall of mud and rocks came rushing down the hill during a thunderstorm and damaged a number of houses. Dale Beaudry with the City of Kelowna says that's because there was nothing to absorb the rain. "It was on a hillside with no vegetation to slow it down." He says the culverts couldn't handle the water and debris. One home at the intersection of Chute Lake Road and Lakeshore suffered extensive damage. Beadry says there's no question the fire played a role in the flooding. "It had an impact because there's no vegetation to slow the flows down and nothing got retained on the hillside -- it just slid right off." He says the same thing can happen again when the next rain storm hits the area.
 

Free Tickets For Fire Victims (October  24 - 7:29 am) 
Kelowna is giving away 100 free tickets to the Nov. 6th Bryan Adams Forest Fire Relief Concert. The tickets were donated from the concert sponsors. On Wednesday October 29th Mayor Gray will randomly draw 50 pairs of tickets from a list of individuals who lost their homes during the fire. Affected residents who would like to attend the concert should contact the Okanagan Fire Recovery Centre before 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday October 29th to qualify for the draw. Residents may either call 250-868-2632 or visit 520 Bernard Avenue. Winners will be notified as soon as possible after the draw.
 

Bertram Creek Regional Park Hit By Last Night's Storm (October  23 - 4:04 pm) CORD Press Release
Another clean up is underway in Bertram Creek Regional Park, perhaps an indication of future runoff concerns and the need for erosion control measures.

The heavy rain overnight that was associated with the thunderstorm cell passing through the Central Okanagan resulted in minor flooding in a section of the Regional Park.  The drainage channel running through the east section of the park quickly filled with water.  As a result, mud and debris washed over the banks and into the lower parking lot.  A culvert, which allows the creek to flow under Lakeshore Road, appears to have jammed with debris on the park side, directing the water out of the channel and into the parking area.

Parks crews cleared the flood debris from the parking lot and have been sandbagging as a precaution, shoring up the creek banks to ensure any future water is directed along the creek bed.

Regional Parks Manager Bill Kenney says, “This is perhaps an early warning of what might happen as a result of the Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park forest fire destroying much of the ground cover in the upper elevations.”

Fire's Economic Impact (October  23 - 11:10 am) 
A survey of 57 Central Okanagan businesses conducted by the Economic Development Commission in September shows the Okanagan Mountain Park fire had considerable economic impact on small businesses in the area. EDC Executive Director, Robert Fine, stresses that while the survey represents only a snapshot of the range of impacts experienced by local businesses, the total loss of $4,419,000 is significant. The average business incurred losses of $32,140. If 10% of area businesses suffered similar losses the total direct impact would reach over $32 million. EDC conducted the survey in order to ensure the effect of the fire was documented in some form and presented to various levels of government. As part of its business retention initiative, the study also provides insight into how EDC can further work with existing businesses and assist them in challenging times.

Ok Mountain Fire Not Out Yet (October  22 - 9:44 am) 
It may be hard to believe but the recent rain Kelowna and area got did not extinguish the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. Forestry spokesman Kevin Matuga says it's going to take a lot more rain and snow. "Because of the drought conditions that we experienced last winter and throughout the spring, it's going to take a lot more rain to put the fire right out. There will still be hot spots burning below the surface." Matuga says those hot spots can as deep as three feet underneath the surface. He says two to three feet of snow up in the hills should extinguish the fire completely. Matuga says if that doesn't happen there will likely be flare-ups next spring. Kelowna and area got more than 26 millimetres of rain since last Thursday. That's more than the entire month of October usually gets.

Fire Mural In The Works (October  22 - 9:44 am) 
A giant mural is in the works in honour of those who battled the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. Robert Kirkman, owner of Samson's soap shop on the Westside, says he got the idea during a sleepless night watching the fire approach the Mission area. He's hired a mural artist to paint the 13 metre long mural on the side of his building at a cost of $6,000. Work on the mural got under way this week and should take at least a week to complete.

Clarkson Expands Kelowna Trip (October  22 - 9:44 am) 
Governor General Adrienne Clarkson has decided to expand her visit to B.C. She's due to arrive in Kelowna on Saturday, Oct. 25 to take a tour of the areas impacted by the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. She will also be making a medal presentation. Clarkson has decided to expand her visit to the North Thompson after residents in that area complained the Kelowna was getting all the post-fire attention.

Restoring Park Costly (October  22 - 9:44 am) 
Restoring Bertram park following the Okanagan Mountain Park fire is going to cost nearly $100,000. The Regional District says it's going to cost $93,000 when all the work is done including removing the dead trees. It's applying to the province through the Provincial Emergency Program to offset some of the costs. Chain link fencing will also be installed along Lakeshore Road to keep people and vehicles out of the park.

Restoring psychological health & well-being after the fires (October  22 - 9:44 am) 
A free public lecture entitled "More than just surviving: Restoring psychological health and well-being after the fires" will be given by Dr. Lynne Zettl and Dr. Edward Josephs, directors of the Canadian Foundation for Trauma Research and Education (CFTRE) on November 11th, from 11:00 am ­2:00 pm at Manteo Resort, 3766 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna.  The lecture will include practical methods for dealing with the psychological and physiological effects in the aftermath of the BC fires.  It is not uncommon for people to have psychological symptoms (anxiety, depression, mood swings, irritability, memory impairment and relationship difficulties) and physical symptoms (gastrointestinal distress, headaches, asthma, neck and back pain, insomnia) appear months or even years after a major traumatic event such as a fire.  As well communities hit by a disaster often see an increase in substance abuse, violent and nonviolent crime, and divorce.

Dr. Zettl and Dr. Josephs are both psychologists who founded the CFTRE, a non-profit, charitable organization committed to training professionals in effective techniques for treating the symptoms of trauma.  They have lectured and trained professionals around the world including Russia, Portugal, the UK, the United States and Canada.  The general public as well as emergency service personnel and health care providers are invited to attend.  To reserve a seat for this event send an email to info@cftre.com or call 604-693-0090 toll free 1 866-387-2862.

Manteo Resort has generously donated their venue to hold this event.

Quilts for the Child Fire Victims Available Saturday (October  20 - 11:08 am) 
Volunteers at a fabric store in the lower mainland has been collecting small quilts, meant to provide a "hug" for the younger victims of the fires. Fabricana Imports generously donated work space, fabric and batting to complete quilt blocks and tops donated by their customers, and has collected completed quilts as well. Donations have come in from all across the country, as well as two packages from Europe.

A representative of Fabricana will be in Kelowna on Saturday, October 25, to offer these quilts to children who have lost their homes to fire this summer. Children under the age of 10, whose homes were lost, are invited to bring their parents to Jordan’s Furniture at Kelowna Crossings Mall to help them select a quilt. Identification is requested.

Filmon Reviews Fire Damage (October  19 - 8:30 am) 
It looked like the early morning fog would cause a bit of a delay but former Manitoba Premier Gary Filmon flew over parts of Kelowna affected by this summer's Okanagan Mountain Park fire on Saturday. The man appointed to review the British Columbia response to this year's wildfires arrived in Kelowna Friday evening. Filmon was in Kelowna to familiarize himself with the Okanagan before setting up an office in Vancouver and visited the Kamloops area on Friday. Filmon has to come up with a report for Victoria by next February which will give the government some recommendations for fire fighting in 2004.  He'll fly over the Barriere area today.
 

Tourism From Fire (October  19 - 8:30 am) 
The province's minister of water, land and air protection says the Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire could turn into a tourist attraction. Joyce Murray was in Kelowna last week and suggested people are interested in seeing how the park will recover from the fire's devastation. Murray said Mount St. Helens, a Washington state volcano that erupted twenty years ago, has become a tourist attraction. The 10,500 hectare Okanagan Mountain park will remain closed over the winter. Officials will be removing burned and damaged trees and making sure marine recreation sites are safe for boaters next spring.

$2 Million In Aid (October  12 - 12:11 pm) 
Community service providers, co-ordinated through the City's Fire Recovery Centre on Bernard Avenue, have now met all emergency needs for food, clothing or shelter as a result of the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. Approximately two million dollars in goods and services have been provided to more than 475 individuals through a number of agencies and community groups. That includes the Salvation Army, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), the Mennonite Disaster Service, the Canadian Red Cross, the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, the Royal Canadian Legion, the Lions Club, the SPCA and Noah's Wish Foundation. The services provided have been directed to individuals in need, and range from immediate basic items such as food, clothing and shelter, through to in-kind assistance with toys, counseling, school and medical supplies. The Kelowna and Area Okanagan Fire Recovery Society and a number of community service groups agreed to develop a housing strategy to address the long term needs of those who lost their homes and were uninsured.
 

A Great Big Thank You List (October  11 - 8:20 pm) 
In preparation for "Celebrate Kelowna" on Monday, we wanted to share with you the names of groups and individuals who helped with the fire.  Our list includes:

• Emergency Operations Center Staff

• Municipal Fire Departments who provided assistance

• All Kelowna Fire Department personnel, including administrative staff at the main fire hall on Enterprise Way

• Armed Forces Unit Participation

• Reception Centre Volunteers

• Utility Companies

• Volunteer Groups

• Government

• Contractors

Putting together a list like this is big task. So many groups & individuals did so much. We know we missed a lot of names. If you can help us with names from your organization please email us comments@castanet.net to let us know.  Click here for the thank you list.

Celebrate Kelowna Tickets Still Available for Those Who Lost Their Homes   (October  10 - 7:39 pm) 
Tickets for the Celebrate Kelowna ceremonies in Skyreach Place on Monday are still available to people who lost their homes as a result of the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. The tickets can be picked up this week-end at the Parkinson Recreation Centre, located on Highway 97 between Burtch and Spall Roads. Tickets are for immediate family members and identification must be shown.

The Recreation Centre is open:
Saturday hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sunday hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Even those without a ticket will be able to enjoy and participate in the festival. A Jumbotron television screen will be installed outside Skyreach Place, courtesy of Shaw TV, to broadcast all activities.

The Celebrate Kelowna! festival begins with a parade at 10:00 a.m. on Bernard Avenue and Water Street. The indoor ceremonies begin at 12 noon and will run approximately one hour. An outdoor festival takes place in the afternoon in the Skyreach Place parking lot and the Arts Common (located between the Rotary Centre for the Arts and the Kelowna Art Gallery).

Free parking will be available downtown in both the Library Plaza Parkade and the Chapman Parkade. Shuttle buses will also be running between Skyreach Place and Trinity Baptist Church (Springfield Road and Spall Road) every 15 minutes between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Celebrate Kelowna - Schedule of Events  (October 8 - 9:28 am)
The City of Kelowna invites you to the Cultural District to thank those who gave their all in fighting the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire.  Come celebrate the rebuilding of our community spirit.

Program - Thanksgiving Day - Monday October 13th

10:00 am
Parade along Bernard Avenue and Water Street to Skyreach Place with Emergency personnel, staff and volunteers who assisted the fire fighting effort.

12:30 am - 1:30 pm
Commemorative and thank-you ceremonies at Skyreach Place.

1:30 - 5 pm
Outdoor family festival in Skyreach Place parking lot and Arts Common (adjacent to Rotary Centre for the Arts).

Admission to Skyreach is free, but will be by ticket only.  4,500 tickets available to the public on a first come first served basis (limited to 4 per person) at the Ticketmaster outlet at Skyreach Place.  Non ticket holders will be able to take in the ceremonies via outdoor Jumbotron.

Early Birds Got Their Tickets  (October 8 - 5:00 pm)
Dozens of Kelowna residents lined up outside of Ticketmaster at Skyreach Place Wednesday morning to get their tickets for the Kelowna fire bash set for Thanksgiving Monday inside the multi-purpose facility. Roughly 4500 tickets were available. City officials reported this morning their sold out. The city says a special block of tickets to the Celebrate Kelowna Festival has been reserved for those who lost their homes in the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. It says tickets for immediate family members are available at the Fire Recovery Centre at 520 Bernard Avenue until Friday. The Centre is open until 5 pm. In all, upwards of 7,000 people are expected to attend the event inside
 

Boost To Rebuild Trestles (October 8 - 5:00 pm)
The people trying to rebuild the Myra Canyon trestles destroyed in the Okanagan Mountain Park fire got a much needed boost Wednesday. Ken Campbell, who is the director the Myra Canyon Restoration Society, got a cheque from the Royal Bank of Canada worth $25,000. Engineers are currently doing a damage estimate of the trestles but it's estimated it will cost $15 million to rebuild. There's also talk of holding a national telethon to help generate revenue to rebuild the trestles.
 

Fire Victims To Get $1000 (October 7 - 8:08 am)
The Salvation Army has determined how much some of the BC residents directly affected by this summer's forest fires are going to get. It has raised $1.1 million in cash and an additional $2.3 million in goods. The agency says every family whose home was destroyed by the fires will be issued an emergency cheque of $1,000. It says compensation for those who have lost employment due to the fires is also being considered.  The agency says there area also has plans to issue $500 'pre-Christmas' cheques to each of the affected families in late November.

Celebrate Kelowna - Thanksgiving Day (October 6 - 2:18 pm)
The City of Kelowna is hosting a festival in the Cultural District to honour those who bravely fought the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire and to help rebuild community spirit.

The Celebrate Kelowna! Festival is appropriately being held on Thanksgiving Day - Monday, October 13^th.

The community appreciation day will include a parade along Bernard Avenue and Water Street, a "thank you" ceremony in Skyreach Place and a community festival with family activities, educational and equipment displays, a barbecue and entertainment.

The parade will feature the Royal Canadian Legion Pipe Band, members of the Kelowna Fire Department, RCMP, BC Ambulance Services, BC Forestry, other municipal fire departments from across B.C. that helped in Kelowna, Armed Forces personnel, ESS volunteers, contractors, City and Regional District staff who manned the Emergency Operations Centre and various vehicles and equipment used in the fire fighting effort.

Starting at 10 a.m. at the corner of Richter Street and Bernard Avenue, the parade will proceed west along Bernard then north on Water Street to Skyreach Place. Emergency and logistical vehicles will then be on display along both sides of Cawston Avenue together with forestry, contractors and utility company equipment. Cawston Avenue will be closed to traffic between Water and Ellis Streets from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ceremonies in Skyreach Place will take place between 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. and will include speeches by Mayor Walter Gray, Fire Chief Gerry Zimmermann and others, as well as videos and musical entertainment.

Admission is free, but will be by ticket only. Approximately 4,500 tickets will be available to the public on a first-come-first-served basis (limited to four per person) on Wednesday, October 8^th at the Ticketmaster outlet in Skyreach Place. The Ticketmaster outlet is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday to Saturday.

Even those without a ticket will be able to enjoy and participate in the festival. A Jumbotron television screen will be installed outside Skyreach Place, courtesy of Shaw TV, to broadcast the parade and all indoor activities. Viewing is open to all members of the general public and there is no cost.

The Celebrate Kelowna! Festival will continue out of doors following the ceremonies, in the Skyreach Place parking lot and the Arts Common (located between the Rotary Centre for the Arts and the Kelowna Art Gallery). The festival will feature an eclectic variety of displays, family activities and entertainment including dog agility performances, face painting, crafts, a petting zoo and climbing wall. In addition, six different musical groups will perform throughout the day on two outdoor stages.

Rotarians are serving hotdogs and beverages in exchange for a donation to the Kelowna and Area Okanagan Fire Recovery Trust Fund. Fire fighters will be selling commemorative t-shirts and hats; the proceeds will also be donated to the Fire Recovery Trust Fund.

Free parking will be available downtown in both the Library Plaza Parkade and the Chapman Parkade. Shuttle buses will also be running between Skyreach Place and Trinity Baptist Church (Springfield Road and Spall Road) every 15 minutes between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Thank You Winkler Prins Harmonie (October 6 - 8:00 am)
The Winkler Prins Harmonie held a benefit concert on Saturday in Veendam (The Netherlands) with proceeds going to the Kelowna and Area Okanagan Fire Recovery Trust Fund.   The event went off without a hitch despite rainy weather.   Forty  young musicians played for three hours outside at the Raadhuisplein, the square in front of the town hall. At the end of the concert Mr. Meijerman (Mayor of Veendam) handed out a cheque for 1,000 Euros on behalf of the city-council bringing the total amount raised to 1,364.55 Euros. The Orchestra is still accepting donations for those not able to donate at the concert directly. 

Yellow Ribbon Fund Progress  (October 6 - 7:54 am)
The Yellow Ribbon Fund stands at $242,000 as of the end of September. The Central Okanagan Foundation is working as fast as possible to determine recipients of the fund. Monies were raised through local media for victims of the Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire. COF Executive Director Janice Henry says "it will be a few weeks before we can determine who is most at need and how to best meet those needs." The COF is part of the Unmet Needs Committee, and is aware of Kelowna families who lost everything because they had no insurance.

Former Manitoba Premier Gary Filmon To Head BC Fire Review  (October 4 - 2:39 pm)
PREMIER'S OFFICE - Former Manitoba premier Gary Filmon will conduct an independent and comprehensive review of the province's response to this year's wildfires, to assess what can be learned from this year's experience, Premier Gordon Campbell announced today.

"The response to this year's wildfires by emergency personnel, residents and the communities affected was exceptional," Campbell said. "At the same time, we have to learn from our experiences to ensure we're prepared for any
disaster. We have an obligation to openly and honestly evaluate what went well, and how we could have done better. I have asked former Manitoba premier Gary Filmon to pursue a full and open review and to report back to government by February 15, 2004.

"Gary Filmon is ideally-qualified to chair this review. During his tenure as premier, Manitoba faced similar natural disasters, including the province's worst wildfires in 1989 and the flooding of 1997. The lessons that Manitoba learned from responding to those situations will be invaluable to B.C. as we assess our own experience.

"All of us have questions that we want to know have been addressed. Were personnel and equipment deployed as effectively as possible? How can we improve the flow of public information during disasters? We want to ensure the public, especially residents and communities affected, has a full opportunity to provide their input and recommendations for Mr. Filmon's and the government's consideration."

Under the terms of reference provided today, the review will examine a full range of issues relevant to prevention, planning and response, including:

* Prevention strategies used for reducing the risk of interface fires;
* Command structure for responding to provincial emergencies, at all levels
of government, including decisions around deployment of personnel and
equipment;
* Provincial processes for ensuring full, adequate and timely communication
of public information during emergencies, and how it can be improved;
* The role of volunteers and how it can be supported and enhanced;
* The framework for federal assistance for abnormal expenditures by the
province.

The review will be completed and presented to the province by Feb. 15, 2004. It will then be considered by cabinet and publicly released, so that the province can learn from the recommendations and take any appropriate action in time for the 2004 fire season. The estimated cost of the review is $500,000.
 

Fire Book In The Works (October 3 - 5:00 pm)
The photos that Castanet readers submitted during the Okanagan Mountain Park fire have proven so popular, we have decided to make a coffee table book with them. Castanet, 101 Silk FM and Tiger Marketing have  partnered to produce "The Okanagan Mountain Park Fire - A Story of Unity”. It's an ambitious effort to donate a minimum of $50,000 and maybe $100,000 to the City of Kelowna and Area Fire Recovery Trust Fund. The book will be 112 pages, telling the story of the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire mainly through pictures. The focus of the book is to share the spirit and unity of the community, which was displayed by all the people fighting the fire as well as the encouragement and gratitude of local residents. Alex Fong (local artist) has also painted and donated an original painting to be featured on the cover of the book. It will be presented to Kelowna Fire Chief Gerry Zimmerman for hanging in the fire station Monday. More information on the book and print will be made public on Monday at a press conference. The book, which should be available in another week, will be selling for $29.95
 

Fire Party Thanksgiving Day (October 3 - 5:00 pm)
The City of Kelowna has put the final touches on the big party in honour of those who fought the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. The Celebrate Kelowna Festival will be held on Monday, October 13 which is also Thanksgiving Day. It will include a parade along Bernard and Water Street following by a big bash at Skyreach Place. Admission will be free but will be by ticket only. Roughly 4,500 tickets will be available to the public on a first-come-first serve basis on Wednesday, October 8th at the Ticketmaster outlet in Skyreach Place. The outlet will be open from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, Monday to Saturday. Those who can't get a ticket will be available to check out the action from the parking lot where a jumbotron TV screen will be set up.
 

Fire Assessment On Two Regional Parks  (October 3 - 4:08 pm)
Two Regional District parks are still closed and will remain so indefinitely.

Bertram Creek Regional Park and Cedar Mountain Regional Park were severely damaged during the Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park forest fire.  Residents are asked to please stay out of both parks because there are still hazards that pose a potential danger.   Dangerous trees that have been identified in Bertram Creek Park are currently being felled and will be removed.  A Forest Hydrologist is assessing both parks and is expected to provide the Regional District with possible erosion control and rehabilitation options.

The Regional District is checking its insurance coverage, particularly for structures that have been burned in Bertram Creek Regional Park.  Several washrooms and a gazebo were destroyed during the forest fire.  However it’s not expected that there will be any coverage to cover the costs of replanting and landscaping.

There have been several offers from community groups and from OKM Secondary to rebuild and replant the parks.  Once the restoration and rehabilitation plans are complete, the Regional District will welcome such community involvement.

Small Fire At Mission Creek Regional Park (October 1 - 4:14 pm)
It may have been just a small fire this afternoon at Mission Creek Regional Park but it reinforces once again how dry the ground has become.

City of Kelowna fire fighters responded quickly to the call around noon after flames were reported alongside a trail near the east entrance to Mission Creek Regional Park, just off Springfield Road.  A person walking along the trail spotted the fire, went back to their vehicle to get some water and on their return, found the fire had grown much larger and called 9-1-1. Fire fighters quickly doused the blaze, which burned about five meters of ground.  It’s believed a tossed cigarette may have ignited the fire.

The Regional Parks Department is asking everyone to be extremely careful, especially if they are smoking while using any of our parks.    A carelessly discarded cigarette or match could possibly touch off a serious fire.

Provincial Park Closure Update  (September  30 - 4:32 pm) 
Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection - The public is advised that many dangers continue to exist in a number of provincial parks as a result of this summer's wildfires in the southern part of the province.

The severity of the fires has created unsafe conditions including:
- fallen and unstable trees;
- root burnout holes in trail surfaces;
- loss of bridges and directional signs; and,
- slope instability and an increased hazard of falling and rolling rocks.

In the interest of public safety, the following provincial parks, as well as all trails and facilities within these parks, are closed to all public use until further notice:
* (Okanagan Region) Okanagan Mountain; Myra/Bellevue;
* (Thompson Region) Cornwall Hills;
* (Kootenay Region) West Arm;
* (Cariboo Region) Nunsti.

Additionally, the following provincial parks in the Kootenay Region are partially impacted:

Height of the Rockies
-Maiyuk trail to Connors Lake is closed;
-Middle White River trail to Sylvan Pass and trail to Pass of the Clouds are
closed;
-Goat Lake trail is closed.

Kokanee Glacier
-Woodbury Creek trails to the Woodbury cabin and the Silver Spray cabin are
closed.

BC Parks requests that visitors use extreme caution at these parks. Parks and trails will be reopened once hazard-removal activities have been completed.

For regularly updated information on specific park closures, and other provincial park information visit the BC Parks Web site at: www.bcparks.bc.ca.

Netherlands Orchestra Holds Fundraiser (September  30 - 9:17 am) 
The ‘Winkler Prins Harmonie’ (WPH) from Veendam (The Netherlands) is organizing a benefit-concert this Saturday in Veendam.  The goal of the concert is to raise money for the Kelowna and Area Okanagan Fire Recovery Trust Fund. The musicians aged 12 – 20 were in Kelowna in May 2002. They have lasting memories of the visit and want to assist with relief efforts.

“Winkler Prins Harmonie” is the orchestra of “Winkler Prins” in Veendam, a large comprehensive school with tradition for culture. The orchestra consist of about 60 (former) pupils, teachers and (ex-) staff members of the school. The conductor is Jack Horst, a former pupil of the school. He has been part of the orchestra since its foundation in 1977. In 2002 WPH celebrated its 25th anniversary by going to Canada for a concert tour.

Carrs Landing Fire (September  29 - 8:49 am) 
The entire Lake Country fire department was called out to an early morning blaze Sunday at 17611 Angus Road in Carrs Landing. The Ministry of Forests was also on the scene of the five a.m. fire which was fully contained in a few hours. Hundreds of litres of diesel fuel for a generator somehow caught on fire in an underground shed. The fire had also spread to the grass in a nearby gully but crews also quickly brought that blaze under control. Officials say no other structures were ever in danger.
 

Fire Near Westbank Yacht Club (September  28 - 5:00 pm) 
A small grassfire erupted near the Westbank Yacht club at about 3 pm Sunday.  Firefighters had the 100 square foot fire under control within half an hour.  

Keremeos Housefire (September  28 - 5:00 pm)
A home just west of Keremeos on highway 3 was destroyed by fire Saturday night.  Fire fighters responded at 11 pm.  It took over an hour to get the difficult blaze under control.  Fire fighters remained on the scene until 3 am.  A power line over the structure complicated fire fighting efforts.  No one was injured in the fire.
 

Kelowna and Area Okanagan Fire Recovery Society Update (September  28 - 5:00 pm) 
Recently, there have been articles which have posed questions in respect to the distribution of funds by the Kelowna and Area Okanagan Fire Recovery Society. We thought it useful to send a letter which provides some further details in respect of the status of the society and the steps that it is undertaking to address the needs of the community.

The society was formed in order to receive donations which were being made for the purpose of assisting in the recovery of the City of Kelowna and surrounding areas, arising out of the impact of the recent Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire.

To date, the society has received direct donations of approximately $160,000. In addition, it is expected that the society will receive the net sale proceeds of the T-shirt sales undertaken by the Kelowna volunteer fire department.

Although it is not yet known for certain, it is expected that total donations available for the society to distribute will be in the range of $400,000 to $500,000.

In addition, you should know that our society has received no funding from the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Yellow Ribbon Campaign or any other fire relief funds that may have been established to assist fire victims. In addition, we have no role in directing the distribution of funds from other agencies.

In addition to direct donations, the society met with and is co-ordinating its efforts with the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation Canada which, as you know, has distributed some funds directly to certain families that have been identified at this stage as having needs that are not met through other sources. These efforts have been done in conjunction with the society and in a process that was suggested as a result of meetings that have occurred between our respective societies.

Although $500,000 may seem to be a substantial amount of money, the society is very concerned that it ensure the relatively limited amount of funds available are used for the best possible purposes. Accordingly, we are undertaking a process designed to determine the needs of the community and will, upon conclusion of this review, decide, as a board, the specifics of the distribution of funds. The process of considering the needs is not yet complete and no decisions have yet been made. The society is working in conjunction with the City of Kelowna Recovery Centre, which is undertaking an unmet needs assessment. The preliminary results of that assessment have been provided to the society. In addition, the society has formed a sub-committee for the purpose of preparing a list of other possible recipients of the funds. We have also met with the Friends of the South Slopes, the Okanagan Mission Residents Association and others involved with efforts to rebuild the Myra Canyon trestles.

The society has also had a number of very useful discussions with the Central Okanagan Foundation, which also has funds to distribute, and we fully expect that our two societies will work co-operatively.

The society board is made up of 14 individuals that represent a broad spectrum of our community. We are fully mindful of our responsibility to fairly and equitably distribute these funds.

However, we expect that requests for funding will far outstrip the limited funds that we have available to us. As such, we expect there will be a number of difficult decisions that will have to be made.

Although the society is mindful that there is a desire that funds be distributed as soon as possible, it is very important that the relatively limited amount of money that is available to the society be distributed in a manner that does the greatest good.
If you wish to have input to the manner of distribution of the funds, we would welcome any such input. Please send your suggestions in writing, by way of email, to: recoveryteam@city.kelowna.bc.ca
 

David Rush, chairman,
Kelowna and Area Okanagan
Fire Recovery Society,
Kelowna

Kelowna Concert Connection (September  28 - 8:49 am) 
Officials say as many as 20,000 people attended Saturday's Fire on the Mountain concert in Kamloops. The benefit concert was put on to raise money and spirits for recent fire victims in the North Thompson area. The line up included rockers Matthew Good and Michelle Wright. The concert was free but organizers hoped generous donations would make up most of the proceeds. Matthew Good said "I think the one thing fire victims should know is a lot of people from Vancouver are thinking of them." Good added he'll be donating his concert earnings, between $5,000 and $10,000 after expenses, to Interior B.C.'s fire victims. Several of Good's friends and family were forced to evacuate as the Okanagan Mountain Park fire destroyed nearly 250 Kelowna homes in late August.
 

Forest Fire Review  (September  28 - 8:49 am) 
Premier Gordon Campbell says the review of this summer's forests fires will be independent, open and quick. He says the person heading the review will not be part of government and may not even live in the province. Campbell says B.C. did well in fighting the fires but things can always be done better.
 

Traffic Request - Please Avoid Fire Impacted Areas   (September  25 - 5:00 pm) 
Traffic volumes are becoming a problem for residents of the areas impacted by the Okanagan Mountain Park fire.

There are a number of additional vehicles in these areas as a result of the fire and recovery/rehabilitation efforts that are now underway. In addition people travelling slowly as they view the fire's impact are adding to the traffic volume and causing delays. Many of the subdivisions have winding roads and limited passing opportunities which exacerbates the problem.

As a courtesy to those in the fire impacted areas, the City requests that those without business in the immediate vicinity remain away. The public's co-operation is appreciated.

Wood Waste Disposal Options in  Fire Impacted Areas  (September  25 - 5:00 pm) 
The City of Kelowna has established a program for the disposal of trees and wood waste burned and felled during the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire. Property owners should contact the Recovery Centre at 520 Bernard Avenue, 868-2632, to obtain detailed information on the options available. The Centre is open Monday to Friday from 8 to 6, and on Saturdays from 9 until 4. The information is also available on the City's website: www.city.kelowna.bc.ca 

Okanagan Mountain Park Fire 100% Contained (September  20 - 8:21 am)

Ministry of Forestry – The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is now 100 per cent contained.  Fire size as determined by Global Positioning System is estimated to be 25,912 hectares.  The fire perimeter is 197 kilometers.

Fire fighters have made good progress in the mopping up of hot spots, infra red scanning technology is helping firefighters detect any residual hot spots that are not clearly visible.  Mop up and patrol will continue for the next few weeks and possibly until late fall.  Smoke may continue to be visible within the fir perimeter and will be monitored.

Planning and implementation of fire rehabilitation work is currently underway.  The initial phase involves rehabilitation of public and private lands affected by fire control activities.  This includes activities such as restoring natural drainage patterns, water barring fireguards and trails and grass seeding exposed soil.    

The public is reminded that  Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park and Myra-Bellevue Protected Area remain closed until further notice. Specific park and protected area closures, campfire bans and other restriction information can be obtained from park facility operators or the B.C. Parks Web site at www.bcparks.ca

For more information on the local Forest Service restrictions, closures and campfire bans, see the Ministry of Forests Protection Branch Web site at http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/protect/ or contact the local forest district office. For tourism information, contact 1-800-hellobc.  Full Press Release.

More Parks Re-open – Bear Sightings (September  18 - 9:42 am)  
Six more Regional Parks are open for public use.  Parks staff has finished their risk inspections and removed any potential hazards in Three Forks, Eain Lamont, Gellatly Heritage, Glen Canyon, Mount Boucherie and Rose Valley Regional Parks.   Earlier this week they re-opened Mill Creek, Mission Creek, Kalamoir and the Woodhaven Nature Conservancy.  They were among 12 Regional Parks that were closed over the summer because of the threat of fire.

Even though we’ve had some rain, ground conditions are still dry.  Residents using any park are asked to use extreme caution and they should stay on trails.  Please don’t smoke in natural areas and if you do smoke, please ensure all smoking materials have been completely extinguished and safely discarded. 

Parks staff is assessing the damage sustained in two parks by the Okanagan Mountain Park fire.  As a result, both Bertram Creek and Cedar Mountain remain closed as they contain many hazards and are not safe. 

With the start of the Kokanee-salmon spawning season, there have been many bear sightings, particularly along the creeks in Mission Creek Regional Park and Hardy Falls Regional Park.  Park users can reduce potential conflicts by staying well away when a bear is spotted, traveling in a group, making noise or carrying something that makes noise (like a bell) while on hiking trails or along paths near any creek where fish are spawning.  Full press release.

Four Regional Parks Open Again (September  17 - 12:15 pm)          
The “Closed Due To Extreme Fire Hazard” signs have come down at two more Regional Parks.  After checking trails and public areas for safety hazards, Parks crews have given the green light to re-open Mill Creek Regional Park and the Woodhaven Nature Conservancy.  Yesterday afternoon, Mission Creek and Kalamoir Regional Parks were deemed safe for public access.

More favorable weather conditions have resulted in the opening of four of the Regional Parks that were closed over the summer because of the extreme fire danger.  In all, ten Regional Parks were completely closed and two others were partially closed.

Parks staff hopes to complete their hazard risk inspections of the other six closed parks by late today and expect that the “Closed Due To Extreme Fire Hazard” signs will be taken down.

Once a park is open again, people are asked to use extreme caution and should stay on trails.  Please don’t smoke in natural areas and if you do smoke, please ensure all smoking materials have been completely extinguished and safely discarded. 

Two Regional Parks will remain closed indefinitely because of damage sustained by the Okanagan Mountain Park fire.  Both Bertram Creek and Cedar Mountain contain many hazards and are considered unsafe.  Full Press Release.

Forest Fire Review to be Conducted (September  17 - 9:00 am)
An examination of all fire fighting efforts is performed every year by the B.C. Ministry of Forests.  They review decisions and observations related to each fire and try to assess what worked, didn't work, and could be done better.    Local Emergency Operations staff will also go through a similar debrief.    

Two Regional Parks Re-opened  (September  16 - 5:51 pm)          
CORD PRESS RELEASE - More favorable weather conditions have resulted in the opening of two Regional Parks that were closed over the summer because of the threat of fire.  The extreme fire hazard forced the complete closure of ten Regional Parks, and the partial closure of two others.

As of this afternoon, Mission Creek Regional Park is completely open as is Kalamoir Park on the Westside.

This morning, Parks staff started the task of going through each park, conducting a risk inspection.  As some of the parks have been closed for almost two months, staff are checking trails and removing any safety hazards like fallen branches and trees, hanging branches and pruning any overgrowth.  Once the area surrounding the trails is considered safe, the park will be open again for public use.   Information on the status of each park will be relayed via the local media and the Regional District website, www.regionaldistrict.com. 

The Regional Parks Department thanks residents of the Central Okanagan for their cooperation, patience and understanding over the past two months, while parks were closed.  When a park is open again, people are asked to use extreme caution and should stay on trails.  Please don’t smoke in natural areas and if you do smoke, please ensure all smoking materials have been completely extinguished and safely discarded. 

Two of the parks will remain closed indefinitely because of damage sustained by the Okanagan Mountain Park fire.  Both Bertram Creek and Cedar Mountain contain many hazards and are considered unsafe.  Full Press Release.

Fire Now 95% Contained (September  16 - 5:25 pm)

Ministry of Forestry - The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 25,600 hectares in size, and is now 95% contained. Resources include 400 fire fighters, 7 helicopters and 91 pieces of heavy equipment. The portion of the fire that is not contained is in steep rocky terrain and is difficult to access for ground resources.

Fire fighters are taking advantage of the cool, wet conditions to secure containment lines and mop up hot spots.  Considerable progress has been made over the past few days.  Resource requirements are being evaluated daily and downsizing will continue as the fire threat decreases.

Smoke may be visible deep within the fire perimeter over the coming weeks.  The public must remain assured that the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire will continue to be patrolled and monitored daily and fire fighters will aggressively mop up hot spots as they are detected.

 The Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park and the Myra-Bellevue Protected Area remain closed to the public until further notice.  The public is also reminded to stay clear of active fire fighting operations and avoid travelling any of the fire access roads being used by emergency personnel.  Full Press Release.

Fire News Highlights (September  16 - 8:13 am)

• It was one month ago today that lightning started the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire.

• The armed Forces are going home today as cooler temperatures and rain have the fire now 90% contained.

• Local loggers are now permitted to go back into the forests to resume their operations.

• 11 senior Forestry personnel  left Kelowna yesterday.

• The City's fire relief fund has raised $100,000.  $150,00 has been raised by t-shirt sales. The $225,000 Yellow Ribbon Campaign by local media will donate its money to the Central Okanagan Foundation.

• The insurance industry says it has paid out $200 million so far to BC forest fire victims. 

• Four City Parks now reopen to the public: Knox Mountain, Dilworth Mountain, Mission Ridge Park and Quail Ridge Park.  Public are asked to stay on the trails and not smoke.  Bertram Creek park will not likely open till spring to to fire damage to structures and trees.

From The Ministry of Forests Incident Commander (September  15 - 8:34 am)

September 14, 2003

An open letter to the people of Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley:

On behalf of the British Columbia Ministry of Forests and all who have worked on the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the people of Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley for your outstanding cooperation and generous support during the recent forest fire situation.

The overwhelming support during this time is not only very much appreciated, but has been tremendously uplifting during a very stressful and difficult time.  The endless donations, extreme patience, kind words of encouragement and all of the personal message signs posted throughout the area are truly motivating.  For this we are extremely grateful.

The resiliency of the Okanagan communities is reflected by all of the people that have gone out of their way to ensure that everyone remains safe, the needs of the community are met and the day to day fire operations continued uninterrupted.  You should be proud of your accomplishments, particularly your strong commitment to the community at large.

Yours truly,

Brian Kempf
Incident Commander
Okanagan Mountain Park Fire

Click here for the full letter in its original form.

Provincewide State of Emergency Lifted (September  15 - 8:10 am)
Premier Gordon Campbell lifted a province wide state of emergency on Sunday due to  rain The state of emergency had been in place since Aug. 2. The province will now complete a damage assessment.

A millimetre of rain fell on Sunday helping fire crews in the Myra and Bellevue canyons. The rainfall makes flare-ups unlikely, soaking down the forest fuels.

Weekend Fire Update (September  14 - 9:40 am)
As of Saturday, the Okanagan Mountain Park fire is considered to be 90% contained. The fire is described as smoldering and not very active.  The rain overnight and today should continue to help. 575 forest fighters and 10 Helicopters remain fighting the blaze.  The only major Evacuation Alert left in the province is near the Sun Peaks resort near Kamloops.

The Okanagan Fire Recovery Center (520 Bernard Avenue  (next to the old Royal Bank building) has new hours effective Monday:
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday to Friday
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday

Fire Remains Stable Despite Evening Winds  (September  12 - 6:53 am)
The fire remained stable over night despite wind gusts last night.  At 9 pm gusts up to 50 km/h with scattered rain hit the Kelowna area.  The wind gusts actually allowed fire fighters to see where they should tackle some of the hot spots. Isolated power outages (Rowcliffe Ave and Gastton) and tree damage was reported but no growth to the fire.  Theer was a power outage at Reid's corner intersection and nearby businesses.

Fire crews have made good progress on the fire in recent days - encircling it with containment lines.  The fire has not challenged or breached containment lines.  The fire is still estimated to be 80% contained and 18,360 residents remain on Evacuation Alert.

Weather and Air Quality Forecast (September  12 - 6:39 am)
Today .. A mix of sun and cloud. Wind becoming northwest 20 km/h this morning. High 20. UV index 4 or moderate.
Tonight .. A few clouds. Low 4.
Saturday .. Sunny. High 22.
Air Quality .. Today 38 (fair).  Saturday 30 (fair).  Quality ratings of 'good', 'fair', 'poor' correspond to air quality sub-index ranges of 0-25, 26-50 and >50 respectively.

No News Is Good News September  11 - 7:27 pm
We have had a number of emails in the past few days with similar themes.  We thought we would share these answers with everyone.  Here's a quick summary of our most frequently asked questions.

Why aren't you publishing more thermal maps of the fire?
We get the thermal maps directly from AWIS who is a contractor to the Ministry of Forestry. The maps are only produced when Forestry feels that there have been significant changes in the fire to justify their cost.  These maps are done by special plane flights - not by satellite.  The fact there have been no new maps for the last few days is a good sign that fire has not progressed.

How come there aren't as many updates on the fire on Castanet?
There has been very little too report in the past few days because of the cooler temperatures and rain.  The fire has not grown significantly.  Accordingly the Emergency Operations Center and the Ministry of Forests have less information to share than what they had previously.  We here at Castanet are still following the fire closely.  If there are any major developments rest assured - you can count on us to post them here.  But as fire activity trials off - so does our coverage.  This a another good sign!

I'm from out of town, where can I buy a fire t-shirt?
We have set-up a special web page to update you on the availability of t-shirts, hats, posters, CD's and other fundraising efforts associated with the fire.  Link.  There will be some t-shirts available at the Burnaby Costco this weekend (see t-shirt page for details).  And the KVR Passport Company will be offering Myra Canyon Trestle t-shirts for sale online.  Be aware that the volunteer fire fighters and RCMP are behind the selling of the most popular shirts.  They are understandably still focused on the task at hand with the fire.  If we become aware of shirt sells outside Kelowna, you can count on us posting them here!

Boil Water Advisories Lifted September 11 - 2:40 pm
As of September 11, 2003 the Water Boil Advisories for the Black Mountain Irrigation and South East Kelowna Irrigation Districts has been lifted.

Test results done by the water utilities and the Interior Health Authorities show the water meets public health requirements and is safe to drink.

BMID and SEKID regret any inconvenience to our customers and thank you for your patience during this water boil advisory.

Fire Clears Myra Canyon - Remaining Trestles Safe September 11 - 7:05 am
Mayor Gray - The fire has now cleared Myra Canyon - so it is unlikely that other Trestles will be destroyed.  The original plans for trestles still exist to aid in rebuilding.  Only four wooden trestles remain 1, 12, 16, 17.  The wood decks on the metal trestles 6 and 8 have been burned off. See maps for trestle placement. (Map 1 JPG 42K) (Map 2 GIF 87K)  See also our photo gallery for original trestle pictures and trestles as they stand now.  Click here to donate to the trestle restoration online. 

Recovery Trust Fund Donations Can Specify Trestle Redevelopment (September  10 - 4:48 pm)
The Kelowna and Area Okanagan Fire Recovery Society has recognized the community's will to re-build the twelve historic trestles of the Kettle Valley Railway, destroyed as the Okanagan Mountain Park fire swept through Myra Canyon. Donors may now specify that their contributions to the Kelowna and Area Fire Recovery Trust Fund should be directed toward trestle redevelopment.

Donations may be made online at kvr.acromedia.ca or via www.city.kelowna.bc.ca  Donations may also be sent to the City of Kelowna, 1435 Water Street, Kelowna B.C. V1Y 1J4. Cheques should be made payable to the "City of Kelowna Fire Recovery Fund" and should specify that the donation is for the "Myra Canyon Trestle Restoration Fund".

The Federal Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Central Okanagan Regional District, the City of Kelowna and the Myra Canyon Trestle Restoration Society, as well as many national and local organizations, have acknowledged the need to rebuild. Once the fire in Myra Canyon is extinguished a site assessment will be conducted to determine the steps involved in reconstruction. The reconstruction effort will be a large one involving many levels of government, the private sector and the community. To kick start the project initial funding for the site assessment will be provided by the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada.

The Kettle Valley Railway is one of the most important heritage and recreational assets in the Central Okanagan. The pioneering spirit that built the world famous Myra Canyon trestles will once again be demonstrated through community goodwill and leadership.

General donations toward the Recovery Trust Fund are also gratefully accepted. The monies will be used to assist in rebuilding lives and the community. The Recovery Society is in the process of identifying needs and projects that may be eligible to receive funds. Donations can be made at any Scotiabank branch in Canada to account number 80150-00058-19, or through the internet or by mail, as above.  Press release.

No News Is Good News September  11 - 7:27 pm
We have had a number of emails in the past few days with similar themes.  We thought we would share these answers with everyone.  Here's a quick summary of our most frequently asked questions.

Why aren't you publishing more thermal maps of the fire?
We get the thermal maps directly from AWIS who is a contractor to the Ministry of Forestry. The maps are only produced when Forestry feels that there have been significant changes in the fire to justify their cost.  These maps are done by special plane flights - not by satellite.  The fact there have been no new maps for the last few days is a good sign that fire has not progressed.

How come there aren't as many updates on the fire on Castanet?
There has been very little too report in the past few days because of the cooler temperatures and rain.  The fire has not grown significantly.  Accordingly the Emergency Operations Center and the Ministry of Forests have less information to share than what they had previously.  We here at Castanet are still following the fire closely.  If there are any major developments rest assured - you can count on us to post them here.  But as fire activity trials off - so does our coverage.  This a another good sign!

I'm from out of town, where can I buy a fire t-shirt?
We have set-up a special web page to update you on the availability of t-shirts, hats, posters, CD's and other fundraising efforts associated with the fire.  Link.  There will be some t-shirts available at the Burnaby Costco this weekend (see t-shirt page for details).  And the KVR Passport Company will be offering Myra Canyon Trestle t-shirts for sale online.  Be aware that the volunteer fire fighters and RCMP are behind the selling of the most popular shirts.  They are understandably still focused on the task at hand with the fire.  If we become aware of shirt sells outside Kelowna, you can count on us posting them here!
 

Boil Water Advisories Lifted September 11 - 2:40 pm
As of September 11, 2003 the Water Boil Advisories for the Black Mountain Irrigation and South East Kelowna Irrigation Districts has been lifted.

Test results done by the water utilities and the Interior Health Authorities show the water meets public health requirements and is safe to drink.

BMID and SEKID regret any inconvenience to our customers and thank you for your patience during this water boil advisory.

Fire Clears Myra Canyon - Remaining Trestles Safe September 11 - 7:05 am
Mayor Gray - The fire has now cleared Myra Canyon - so it is unlikely that other Trestles will be destroyed.  The original plans for trestles still exist to aid in rebuilding.  Only four wooden trestles remain 1, 12, 16, 17.  The wood decks on the metal trestles 6 and 8 have been burned off. See maps for trestle placement. (Map 1 JPG 42K) (Map 2 GIF 87K)  See also our photo gallery for original trestle pictures and trestles as they stand now.  Click here to donate to the trestle restoration online. 

Weather and Air Quality Forecast (September  11 - 6:39 am)
Today .. Cloudy with sunny periods. 40 percent chance of showers. Wind becoming southwest 20 km/h this morning. High 20. UV index 3 or low.
Tonight .. Cloudy. 40 percent chance of showers this evening. Clearing overnight. Low 7.
Friday .. Sunny with cloudy periods. High 21.
Air Quality .. Today 56 (poor).  Friday 36 (fair).  Quality ratings of 'good', 'fair', 'poor' correspond to air quality sub-index ranges of 0-25, 26-50 and >50 respectively.

Recovery Trust Fund Donations Can Specify Trestle Redevelopment (September  10 - 4:48 pm)
The Kelowna and Area Okanagan Fire Recovery Society has recognized the community's will to re-build the twelve historic trestles of the Kettle Valley Railway, destroyed as the Okanagan Mountain Park fire swept through Myra Canyon. Donors may now specify that their contributions to the Kelowna and Area Fire Recovery Trust Fund should be directed toward trestle redevelopment.

Donations may be made online at kvr.acromedia.ca or via www.city.kelowna.bc.ca  Donations may also be sent to the City of Kelowna, 1435 Water Street, Kelowna B.C. V1Y 1J4. Cheques should be made payable to the "City of Kelowna Fire Recovery Fund" and should specify that the donation is for the "Myra Canyon Trestle Restoration Fund".

The Federal Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Central Okanagan Regional District, the City of Kelowna and the Myra Canyon Trestle Restoration Society, as well as many national and local organizations, have acknowledged the need to rebuild. Once the fire in Myra Canyon is extinguished a site assessment will be conducted to determine the steps involved in reconstruction. The reconstruction effort will be a large one involving many levels of government, the private sector and the community. To kick start the project initial funding for the site assessment will be provided by the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada.

The Kettle Valley Railway is one of the most important heritage and recreational assets in the Central Okanagan. The pioneering spirit that built the world famous Myra Canyon trestles will once again be demonstrated through community goodwill and leadership.

General donations toward the Recovery Trust Fund are also gratefully accepted. The monies will be used to assist in rebuilding lives and the community. The Recovery Society is in the process of identifying needs and projects that may be eligible to receive funds. Donations can be made at any Scotiabank branch in Canada to account number 80150-00058-19, or through the internet or by mail, as above.  Press release.

Wildland Fire Fighters Gain Ground on Okanagan Fire (September  10 - 1:51 pm)
Ministry of Forests - Favourable weather conditions have assisted fire fighting efforts on the Okanagan Mountain Park fire; containment on the fire is now estimated to be 80%.

As weather conditions change over the next twelve hours, winds are expected to increase and challenge containment lines that have been established. Winds this evening are forecasted to be from the west and northwest gusting as high as 40 km/hr. The winds forecasted should not have a significant impact on fire behaviour due to the cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity.

Fire crews continue to re-enforce established control lines and protection of the remaining trestles remains a priority.

People are asked to avoid traveling in or near the affected areas for a look at the fire. Congestion increases the risk of an accident and emergency officials need to be able to deploy equipment in a timely manner.  Press release.

Parkinson Recreation Center Now Open Again (September  9 - 11:11 am)
The Parkinson Recreation Centre is now back in business! The weight room, gymnasium and fitness programs were up and running as of 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, and all regularly scheduled programs have resumed.

New fall programs including swimming lessons are set to begin and registration is available now. Many programs begin next week. Register by phone, in person or via the internet at www.recreationkelowna.com

The Fall Program Guide is available on the City's website, www.city.kelowna.bc.ca , or drop by the PRC at 1800 Parkinson Way to pick up a copy.

The Parkinson pool will resume operation on September 22nd. A mechanical problem has necessitated closure of the pool until repairs can be made.

The Parkinson Reception Center for evacuees is now closed. 

Rain Helps Fire Fighting Effort  (September  9 - 11:11 am)
Ministry of Forestry - The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 25,600 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 20 helicopters and 150 pieces of heavy equipment.

The cooler and moist weather has enabled fire crews to make good progress establishing and securing control lines. The fire remained stable overnight with no significant spread and is now estimated to be 65 per cent contained.

With the stable weather conditions crews and equipment have been able to work closer to the fire’s edge. While air tankers and helicopter bucketing help cool and slow the fire spread, it is the on-the-ground crews that will actually contain and put the fire out.

The weather forecast is for cool unsettled weather to remain through Friday, with no chance of precipitation. The fire will continue to smolder in the organic layers of the forest floor, with open flame where ever there are the fuels on the ground.

B.C. Forest Service would like to remind the public that fire fighting operations are being conducted close to residences and ask that people stay away from these areas for their own safety.  Press Release.

Weather and Air Quality Forecast (September  11 - 6:39 am)
Today .. Cloudy with sunny periods. 40 percent chance of showers. Wind becoming southwest 20 km/h this morning. High 20. UV index 3 or low.
Tonight .. Cloudy. 40 percent chance of showers this evening. Clearing overnight. Low 7.
Friday .. Sunny with cloudy periods. High 21.
Air Quality .. Today 56 (poor).  Friday 36 (fair).  Quality ratings of 'good', 'fair', 'poor' correspond to air quality sub-index ranges of 0-25, 26-50 and >50 respectively.

Recovery Trust Fund Donations Can Specify Trestle Redevelopment (September  10 - 4:48 pm)
The Kelowna and Area Okanagan Fire Recovery Society has recognized the community's will to re-build the twelve historic trestles of the Kettle Valley Railway, destroyed as the Okanagan Mountain Park fire swept through Myra Canyon. Donors may now specify that their contributions to the Kelowna and Area Fire Recovery Trust Fund should be directed toward trestle redevelopment.

Donations may be made online at kvr.acromedia.ca or via www.city.kelowna.bc.ca  Donations may also be sent to the City of Kelowna, 1435 Water Street, Kelowna B.C. V1Y 1J4. Cheques should be made payable to the "City of Kelowna Fire Recovery Fund" and should specify that the donation is for the "Myra Canyon Trestle Restoration Fund".

The Federal Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Central Okanagan Regional District, the City of Kelowna and the Myra Canyon Trestle Restoration Society, as well as many national and local organizations, have acknowledged the need to rebuild. Once the fire in Myra Canyon is extinguished a site assessment will be conducted to determine the steps involved in reconstruction. The reconstruction effort will be a large one involving many levels of government, the private sector and the community. To kick start the project initial funding for the site assessment will be provided by the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada.

The Kettle Valley Railway is one of the most important heritage and recreational assets in the Central Okanagan. The pioneering spirit that built the world famous Myra Canyon trestles will once again be demonstrated through community goodwill and leadership.

General donations toward the Recovery Trust Fund are also gratefully accepted. The monies will be used to assist in rebuilding lives and the community. The Recovery Society is in the process of identifying needs and projects that may be eligible to receive funds. Donations can be made at any Scotiabank branch in Canada to account number 80150-00058-19, or through the internet or by mail, as above.  Press release.

Wildland Fire Fighters Gain Ground on Okanagan Fire (September  10 - 1:51 pm)
Ministry of Forests - Favourable weather conditions have assisted fire fighting efforts on the Okanagan Mountain Park fire; containment on the fire is now estimated to be 80%.

As weather conditions change over the next twelve hours, winds are expected to increase and challenge containment lines that have been established. Winds this evening are forecasted to be from the west and northwest gusting as high as 40 km/hr. The winds forecasted should not have a significant impact on fire behaviour due to the cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity.

Fire crews continue to re-enforce established control lines and protection of the remaining trestles remains a priority.

People are asked to avoid traveling in or near the affected areas for a look at the fire. Congestion increases the risk of an accident and emergency officials need to be able to deploy equipment in a timely manner.  Press release.

Today's Weather (September  10 - 6:00 am)
Today .. Sunny. Becoming cloudy near midday with 60 percent chance of showers late this afternoon. High 21. UV index 4 or moderate.
Tonight .. Cloudy. 60 percent chance of showers. Low 10.
Thursday .. Sunny with cloudy periods. Wind west 30 km/h. High 20
Air quality .. Today 50 (fair).  Thursday 35 (fair).  Quality ratings of 'good', 'fair', 'poor' correspond to air quality sub-index ranges of 0-25, 26-50 and >50 respectively.

Parkinson Recreation Center Now Open Again (September  9 - 11:11 am)
The Parkinson Recreation Centre is now back in business! The weight room, gymnasium and fitness programs were up and running as of 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, and all regularly scheduled programs have resumed.

New fall programs including swimming lessons are set to begin and registration is available now. Many programs begin next week. Register by phone, in person or via the internet at www.recreationkelowna.com

The Fall Program Guide is available on the City's website, www.city.kelowna.bc.ca , or drop by the PRC at 1800 Parkinson Way to pick up a copy.

The Parkinson pool will resume operation on September 22nd. A mechanical problem has necessitated closure of the pool until repairs can be made.
 

Rain Helps Fire Fighting Effort  (September  9 - 11:11 am)
Ministry of Forestry - The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 25,600 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 20 helicopters and 150 pieces of heavy equipment.

The cooler and moist weather has enabled fire crews to make good progress establishing and securing control lines. The fire remained stable overnight with no significant spread and is now estimated to be 65 per cent contained.

With the stable weather conditions crews and equipment have been able to work closer to the fire’s edge. While air tankers and helicopter bucketing help cool and slow the fire spread, it is the on-the-ground crews that will actually contain and put the fire out.

The weather forecast is for cool unsettled weather to remain through Friday, with no chance of precipitation. The fire will continue to smolder in the organic layers of the forest floor, with open flame where ever there are the fuels on the ground.

B.C. Forest Service would like to remind the public that fire fighting operations are being conducted close to residences and ask that people stay away from these areas for their own safety.  Press Release.

Fire Retardant Gel Slippery - Should be Left On  (September  8 - 7:55 pm)
Approximately 40 families returning to their homes today found their houses coated with a protective barricade gel, applied as a fire retardant during the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. These homes are primarily in the June Springs and McCulloch Roads areas. The white substance appears as a gel or dry residue.

The Office of the BC Fire Commissioner and the Emergency Operations Centre advise residents that this product is slippery and caution should be used on all walking surfaces in the areas where the gel has been applied, such as decks, sidewalks, driveways, porches and steps. Rain and the addition of any moisture will increase the slipperiness of this gel, even if the product has dried. Homeowners are advised to remain off roofs.

While homeowners may wish to remove the product from walking surfaces, they are advised to be careful when doing so. They should wear footwear with proper gripping soles and exercise extreme caution.

The gel can be removed by spraying it off with a normal garden hose and nozzle, and thoroughly rinsing the area. Alternatively, once the gel is dry it can be swept or brushed off and disposed of along with regular garbage. IF YOU CLEAN YOUR PROPERTY BE SURE THE GEL DOES NOT GO ONTO ANY WALKING SURFACE, SUCH AS THE SIDEWALK.

It is recommended that homeowners leave the product in place on house walls and roofs, until all danger from this fire has passed and the Fire Commissioner's Office has advised that the gel may be removed. At that time instructions for removing the gel will be available at the Okanagan Fire Recovery Centre, 520 Bernard Avenue.  Press Release.

Natural Hazards and Recovery Assessment  (September  8 - 3:17 pm)
As residents begin the process of rebuilding homes destroyed by the Okanagan Mountain Park fire, a number of environmental issues must be addressed.

Significant changes occur to the natural environment with a fire of this magnitude and slope stability is one area of concern that must be examined. This will include:

• the potential of rock fall

• terrain instability resulting from vegetation loss

• hydrologic changes leading to increased peak flows that could result in ash and mud slides, torrents of debris and re-emergence of ephemeral streams.

The City of Kelowna has retained Dobson Engineering to assess the risks and recommend remediation strategies. Initial assessment work will focus on identifying risks to existing structures and the risks associated with rebuilding fire-damaged homes.

The City intends to work closely and cooperatively with the Ministry of Forests and other external agencies to formulate a joint recovery plan for the entire fire damaged area. It may take five years before the environment has stabilized.  Press Release.

Evacuation Orders Lifted (September  8 - 12:53 pm)
The B.C. Fire Commissioner has rescinded the Evacuation Orders in place due to the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. All 4,250 residents affected by the Evacuation Orders are now able to return to their homes.

Residents are reminded that they remain on Evacuation Alert. Should weather conditions change and the fire flare, it may be necessary to issue new Evacuation Orders. Residents should keep valuable possessions ready, should this occur.  With the rescind of the Evacuation Orders there are now 18,360 people on Evacuation Alert.

The fire grew 300 hectares in the past 24 hours; the fire has now consumed 25,600 hectares (256 square kilometres). Last night's activity was primarily in an easterly direction and did not threaten any residential areas.

The Kelowna Fire Department is in the process of scaling down the number of out of town trucks and crews on stand by at the Enterprise Way Firehall. Some of these units are being re-deployed today by the Fire Commissioner.  Press Release.

A new Evacuation Area and Alert map is now available.  (PDF 1MB)

Idabel Lake is also included in the Evacuation Order lift.

Parkinson Recreation Center Now Open Again (September  9 - 11:11 am)
The Parkinson Recreation Centre is now back in business! The weight room, gymnasium and fitness programs were up and running as of 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, and all regularly scheduled programs have resumed.

New fall programs including swimming lessons are set to begin and registration is available now. Many programs begin next week. Register by phone, in person or via the internet at www.recreationkelowna.com

The Fall Program Guide is available on the City's website, www.city.kelowna.bc.ca , or drop by the PRC at 1800 Parkinson Way to pick up a copy.

The Parkinson pool will resume operation on September 22nd. A mechanical problem has necessitated closure of the pool until repairs can be made.
 

Rain Helps Fire Fighting Effort  (September  9 - 11:11 am)
Ministry of Forestry - The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 25,600 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 20 helicopters and 150 pieces of heavy equipment.

The cooler and moist weather has enabled fire crews to make good progress establishing and securing control lines. The fire remained stable overnight with no significant spread and is now estimated to be 65 per cent contained.

With the stable weather conditions crews and equipment have been able to work closer to the fire’s edge. While air tankers and helicopter bucketing help cool and slow the fire spread, it is the on-the-ground crews that will actually contain and put the fire out.

The weather forecast is for cool unsettled weather to remain through Friday, with no chance of precipitation. The fire will continue to smolder in the organic layers of the forest floor, with open flame where ever there are the fuels on the ground.

B.C. Forest Service would like to remind the public that fire fighting operations are being conducted close to residences and ask that people stay away from these areas for their own safety.  Press Release.

Kelowna Weather & Air Quality  (September  9 - 6:05 am)
Today .. Sunny with cloudy periods. 30 percent chance of showers this afternoon. High 21. UV index 4 or moderate.
Tonight .. Cloudy periods. 30 percent chance of showers early this evening. Low 8.
Wednesday .. A mix of sun and cloud. 30 percent chance of showers. Wind becoming south 20 km/h near noon. High 21.
Air quality .. Today 35 (fair).  Wednesday 27 (fair)  Quality ratings of 'good', 'fair', 'poor' correspond to air quality sub-index ranges of 0-25, 26-50 and >50 respectively.

Fire Retardant Gel Slippery - Should be Left On  (September  8 - 7:55 pm)
Approximately 40 families returning to their homes today found their houses coated with a protective barricade gel, applied as a fire retardant during the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. These homes are primarily in the June Springs and McCulloch Roads areas. The white substance appears as a gel or dry residue.

The Office of the BC Fire Commissioner and the Emergency Operations Centre advise residents that this product is slippery and caution should be used on all walking surfaces in the areas where the gel has been applied, such as decks, sidewalks, driveways, porches and steps. Rain and the addition of any moisture will increase the slipperiness of this gel, even if the product has dried. Homeowners are advised to remain off roofs.

While homeowners may wish to remove the product from walking surfaces, they are advised to be careful when doing so. They should wear footwear with proper gripping soles and exercise extreme caution.

The gel can be removed by spraying it off with a normal garden hose and nozzle, and thoroughly rinsing the area. Alternatively, once the gel is dry it can be swept or brushed off and disposed of along with regular garbage. IF YOU CLEAN YOUR PROPERTY BE SURE THE GEL DOES NOT GO ONTO ANY WALKING SURFACE, SUCH AS THE SIDEWALK.

It is recommended that homeowners leave the product in place on house walls and roofs, until all danger from this fire has passed and the Fire Commissioner's Office has advised that the gel may be removed. At that time instructions for removing the gel will be available at the Okanagan Fire Recovery Centre, 520 Bernard Avenue.  Press Release.

Province Eases Backcountry Travel Restrictions in Some Areas  (September  8 - 7:05 pm)
VICTORIA - As a result of rainfall that fell in parts of the province during the weekend, government has lifted its backcountry travel restriction in some areas.

Meteorological evaluations and reduced fire danger ratings have allowed ministry officials to re-open backcountry areas on Southern Vancouver Island and the Kootenays.

The following forest districts are again open to backcountry travel: Squamish, South Island (Vancouver Island), Rocky Mountain, Columbia, Arrow Boundary and Kootenay Lake, except where other closures are in effect.

The following forest districts remain closed because of the continuing extreme fire hazard: Chilliwack, Cascades, Kamloops, Okanagan-Shuswap and the Headwaters forest district south of Blue River. 

British Columbians are urged to remain vigilant and to act responsibly when enjoying the outdoors. The public is reminded to report wildfires by calling 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on most cellular networks. To report any suspicious activity, please call the above number (1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on most cellular networks) or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

A reward of up to $50,000 is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in deliberately setting wildfires. Arson is a criminal offence and is punishable by significant fines and/or imprisonment.

For more information on the specific Forest Service restrictions, closures and campfire bans, see the Ministry of Forests Protection Branch Web site at www.for.gov.bc.ca/protect/ or contact the local forest district office. For specific park and protected area closures and restriction information, see the B.C. Parks Web site at http://www.bcparks.ca. For tourism information, contact 1-800-hellobc.  Press Release.
 
Natural Hazards and Recovery Assessment  (September  8 - 3:17 pm)
As residents begin the process of rebuilding homes destroyed by the Okanagan Mountain Park fire, a number of environmental issues must be addressed.

Significant changes occur to the natural environment with a fire of this magnitude and slope stability is one area of concern that must be examined. This will include:

• the potential of rock fall

• terrain instability resulting from vegetation loss

• hydrologic changes leading to increased peak flows that could result in ash and mud slides, torrents of debris and re-emergence of ephemeral streams.

The City of Kelowna has retained Dobson Engineering to assess the risks and recommend remediation strategies. Initial assessment work will focus on identifying risks to existing structures and the risks associated with rebuilding fire-damaged homes.

The City intends to work closely and cooperatively with the Ministry of Forests and other external agencies to formulate a joint recovery plan for the entire fire damaged area. It may take five years before the environment has stabilized.  Press Release.

Evacuation Orders Lifted (September  8 - 12:53 pm)
The B.C. Fire Commissioner has rescinded the Evacuation Orders in place due to the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. All 4,250 residents affected by the Evacuation Orders are now able to return to their homes.

Residents are reminded that they remain on Evacuation Alert. Should weather conditions change and the fire flare, it may be necessary to issue new Evacuation Orders. Residents should keep valuable possessions ready, should this occur.  With the rescind of the Evacuation Orders there are now 18,360 people on Evacuation Alert.

The fire grew 300 hectares in the past 24 hours; the fire has now consumed 25,600 hectares (256 square kilometres). Last night's activity was primarily in an easterly direction and did not threaten any residential areas.

The Kelowna Fire Department is in the process of scaling down the number of out of town trucks and crews on stand by at the Enterprise Way Firehall. Some of these units are being re-deployed today by the Fire Commissioner.  Press Release.

A new Evacuation Area and Alert map is now available.  (PDF 1MB)

Rain Helps Fire Fighting Effort (September  8 -11:12 am)
MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE – The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 25,600 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 20 helicopters and 200 pieces of heavy equipment.

The fire has grown by 300 hectares in the last twenty-four hours, most of that spread occurred before the rains started early this morning.

Rain showers over the fire area have provided much needed relief for the fire fighters. Fire officials are estimating the fire to be 60 per cent contained.

This period of cool, moist weather will allow crews to re establish control lines and reinforce existing ones. While the light rain will wet any open, exposed fine fuels, the deeper organic layers within the forest floor remain critically dry.

The fire remains active in the Myra canyon area; after an aerial overview of the fire this morning fire officials report that the remaining four trestles have not been impacted.

B.C. Forest Service warns that the forest is still extremely dry and much of the fire is in rugged terrain. The weather conditions can change bringing back fire conditions that we had before. Fire officials are using the wet weather as an opportunity to work toward containing the fire. Fire fighters continue to work hard on the front lines.  Press Release.

Fire Retardant Gel Slippery - Should be Left On  (September  8 - 7:55 pm)
Approximately 40 families returning to their homes today found their houses coated with a protective barricade gel, applied as a fire retardant during the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. These homes are primarily in the June Springs and McCulloch Roads areas. The white substance appears as a gel or dry residue.

The Office of the BC Fire Commissioner and the Emergency Operations Centre advise residents that this product is slippery and caution should be used on all walking surfaces in the areas where the gel has been applied, such as decks, sidewalks, driveways, porches and steps. Rain and the addition of any moisture will increase the slipperiness of this gel, even if the product has dried. Homeowners are advised to remain off roofs.

While homeowners may wish to remove the product from walking surfaces, they are advised to be careful when doing so. They should wear footwear with proper gripping soles and exercise extreme caution.

The gel can be removed by spraying it off with a normal garden hose and nozzle, and thoroughly rinsing the area. Alternatively, once the gel is dry it can be swept or brushed off and disposed of along with regular garbage. IF YOU CLEAN YOUR PROPERTY BE SURE THE GEL DOES NOT GO ONTO ANY WALKING SURFACE, SUCH AS THE SIDEWALK.

It is recommended that homeowners leave the product in place on house walls and roofs, until all danger from this fire has passed and the Fire Commissioner's Office has advised that the gel may be removed. At that time instructions for removing the gel will be available at the Okanagan Fire Recovery Centre, 520 Bernard Avenue.  Press Release.

Province Eases Backcountry Travel Restrictions in Some Areas  (September  8 - 7:05 pm)
VICTORIA - As a result of rainfall that fell in parts of the province during the weekend, government has lifted its backcountry travel restriction in some areas.

Meteorological evaluations and reduced fire danger ratings have allowed ministry officials to re-open backcountry areas on Southern Vancouver Island and the Kootenays.

The following forest districts are again open to backcountry travel: Squamish, South Island (Vancouver Island), Rocky Mountain, Columbia, Arrow Boundary and Kootenay Lake, except where other closures are in effect.

The following forest districts remain closed because of the continuing extreme fire hazard: Chilliwack, Cascades, Kamloops, Okanagan-Shuswap and the Headwaters forest district south of Blue River. 

British Columbians are urged to remain vigilant and to act responsibly when enjoying the outdoors. The public is reminded to report wildfires by calling 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on most cellular networks. To report any suspicious activity, please call the above number (1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on most cellular networks) or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

A reward of up to $50,000 is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in deliberately setting wildfires. Arson is a criminal offence and is punishable by significant fines and/or imprisonment.

For more information on the specific Forest Service restrictions, closures and campfire bans, see the Ministry of Forests Protection Branch Web site at www.for.gov.bc.ca/protect/ or contact the local forest district office. For specific park and protected area closures and restriction information, see the B.C. Parks Web site at www.bcparks.ca. For tourism information, contact 1-800-hellobc.  Press Release.
 
Natural Hazards and Recovery Assessment  (September  8 - 3:17 pm)
As residents begin the process of rebuilding homes destroyed by the Okanagan Mountain Park fire, a number of environmental issues must be addressed.

Significant changes occur to the natural environment with a fire of this magnitude and slope stability is one area of concern that must be examined. This will include:

• the potential of rock fall

• terrain instability resulting from vegetation loss

• hydrologic changes leading to increased peak flows that could result in ash and mud slides, torrents of debris and re-emergence of ephemeral streams.

The City of Kelowna has retained Dobson Engineering to assess the risks and recommend remediation strategies. Initial assessment work will focus on identifying risks to existing structures and the risks associated with rebuilding fire-damaged homes.

The City intends to work closely and cooperatively with the Ministry of Forests and other external agencies to formulate a joint recovery plan for the entire fire damaged area. It may take five years before the environment has stabilized.  Press Release.

Evacuation Orders Lifted (September  8 - 12:53 pm)
The B.C. Fire Commissioner has rescinded the Evacuation Orders in place due to the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. All 4,250 residents affected by the Evacuation Orders are now able to return to their homes.

Residents are reminded that they remain on Evacuation Alert. Should weather conditions change and the fire flare, it may be necessary to issue new Evacuation Orders. Residents should keep valuable possessions ready, should this occur.  With the rescind of the Evacuation Orders there are now 18,360 people on Evacuation Alert.

The fire grew 300 hectares in the past 24 hours; the fire has now consumed 25,600 hectares (256 square kilometres). Last night's activity was primarily in an easterly direction and did not threaten any residential areas.

The Kelowna Fire Department is in the process of scaling down the number of out of town trucks and crews on stand by at the Enterprise Way Firehall. Some of these units are being re-deployed today by the Fire Commissioner.  Press Release.

A new Evacuation Area and Alert map is now available.  (PDF 1MB)

Rain Helps Fire Fighting Effort (September  8 -11:12 am)
MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE – The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 25,600 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 20 helicopters and 200 pieces of heavy equipment.

The fire has grown by 300 hectares in the last twenty-four hours, most of that spread occurred before the rains started early this morning.

Rain showers over the fire area have provided much needed relief for the fire fighters. Fire officials are estimating the fire to be 60 per cent contained.

This period of cool, moist weather will allow crews to re establish control lines and reinforce existing ones. While the light rain will wet any open, exposed fine fuels, the deeper organic layers within the forest floor remain critically dry.

The fire remains active in the Myra canyon area; after an aerial overview of the fire this morning fire officials report that the remaining four trestles have not been impacted.

B.C. Forest Service warns that the forest is still extremely dry and much of the fire is in rugged terrain. The weather conditions can change bringing back fire conditions that we had before. Fire officials are using the wet weather as an opportunity to work toward containing the fire. Fire fighters continue to work hard on the front lines.  Press Release.
 

Day Access For All Evacuated Areas September 8 - 7:08 am
With favourable weather conditions, residents who've been forced from their homes by the forest fire will be allowed temporary access today.

Residents in all areas currently under Evacuation Order will be allowed to temporarily return to their homes from 7 am until 6 pm this evening.   It's estimated 4,248 people are affected by the Orders.

Residents must show proof of residency to RCMP members staffing the various road blocks, in order to gain access and return to their homes for the day.

This access also applies for farmers and their workers in evacuated areas of the City and Regional District of Central Okanagan. EOC Press Release.

Finally…Some Rain!!!  September 8 - 6:27 am
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTRE - It’s something almost everyone has been hoping for…periods of rain are forecast for the Central Okanagan today. Combined with cooler temperatures, they’re welcome news for everyone involved with the effort to tame the Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire beast.

Winds picked up late last evening, but the Kelowna Fire Department says they didn’t last long. City fire crews supported with those of more than 40 fire departments from throughout BC and Alberta maintained patrol vigils through the June Springs and Mission areas of the City and through Joe Rich in the Regional District. They haven’t encountered any problems. If the weather conditions and fire activity allow, some of the crews from out of the Central Okanagan will likely be leaving the area later today.

Late yesterday afternoon, an Evacuation Order was issued for the Idabel Lake Resort, just south of McCulloch Lake. It’s believed about six families were at the resort at the time the precautionary Order came down. While the resort is in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, these people are asked to register at the Parkinson Recreation Centre Evacuee Registration Centre, 1800 Parkinson Way, off Highway 97 between Spall and Burtch Roads.

At the present time, all other Evacuation Orders and Alerts remain in effect. Emergency Operation Centre officials will review the status of the Orders and Alerts in light of weather conditions, forecasts and fire behaviour. Any change will be relayed via the media. An estimated 4,248 residents are out on Evacuation Order, while approximately 14,092 residents remain on Evacuation Alert.

The subject of temporary access for residents who’ve been forced from their homes will be reviewed this morning. Any decision will be based on the latest information on fire activity and weather forecasts.  Full Press Release. 

Weather Forecast as of 5:44 am September 8 - 6:00 am
Today .. Periods of rain. Wind becoming northwest 20 km/h near noon. High 19. UV index 1 or low.
Tonight .. Cloudy periods. 30 percent chance of showers. Wind northwest 20 km/h becoming light this evening. Low 9.
Tuesday .. A mix of sun and cloud. 30 percent chance of showers. High 22.
Air Quality .. Today 50 (poor).  Tuesday 27 (fair). Quality ratings of 'good', 'fair', 'poor' correspond to air quality sub-index ranges of 0-25, 26-50 and >50 respectively.
 

Good Day Fighting Fire September 7 - 7:17 pm 
From the Emergency Operations Center - A day of progress has been reported by the Ministry of Forests for those fighting the Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park forest fire.

Winds generally remained light, allowing ground crews to work on solidifying guards, while fixed wing aircraft crews cooled the fronts on steep terrain and chopper crews dumped water and retardant at lower elevations.

Overnight, municipal fire crews will maintain their existing level of fire watch with 15 units patrolling in the June Springs Road area, nine units keeping watch in the Joe Rich area and one on patrol through the Mission.

As a precautionary measure, as of 5:42 pm an Evacuation Order has been issued for the Idabel Lake Resort area. It's believed half a dozen families are affected by the upgrade in status. While the resort is in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, these people are asked to register at the Parkinson Recreation Centre Evacuee Registration Centre, 1800 Parkinson Way, off Highway 97 between Spall and Burtch Roads. The centre has been busy today as people forced from their homes early this morning from the Kimatouche Road subdivision made their way in to register.

At the present time, all other Evacuation Orders and Alerts remain in effect. Emergency Operation Centre officials are constantly reviewing the status of the Orders and Alerts in light of weather conditions, forecasts and fire behaviour. Any change will be relayed via the media. An estimated 4,248 residents are out on Evacuation Order, while approximately 14,110 residents remain on Evacuation Alert.

The subject of temporary access for residents who've been forced from their homes will be reviewed tomorrow (Monday) morning, and will be based on the latest information on fire activity and weather forecasts.

No further releases are planned until 7:00 am Monday morning.  EOC Press Release.

Fire Crews Made Progress Throughout the Day September 7 - 5:30 pm 
Ministry of Forestry - The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 25,300 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 20 helicopters and 200 pieces of heavy equipment. Additional air support is being provided by a Martin Mars and CL-415s.

Today air tankers and helicopters worked to establish a control line of fire retardant from the Myra Forest Service Road to the Kettle Valley Railway right of way. The area between the fire front and the retardant line was burnt off in an attempt to prevent the fire from spreading toward eastern side of Kelowna.

Air and ground operations will continue throughout the day and late into the evening. Ground crews will continue to work through the night where safe to do so. Air operations will begin again at first light if conditions are favourable.

The revised weather forecast, which calls for winds from the northwest at seven to fifteen kilometres. per hour, is favourable for the fire fighting efforts.

People are asked to avoid traveling in or near the affected areas for a look at the fire. Congestion increases the risk of an accident and emergency officials need to be able to deploy equipment in a timely manner.  Press release.

Winds Cause Fire Spread September 7 - 1:23 pm 
MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE – The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 25,300 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 20 helicopters and 200 pieces of heavy equipment. Additional air support is being provided by air tankers.

As predicted, winds occurred over the fire area resulting in a size increase of 1,300 hectares. The fire spread was from the upper Myra canyon in a northerly direction toward McCulloch Road. The wind direction was favourable and pushed the fire up on the top of the hills, away from Kelowna residences.

Today’s forecasted winds will continue to push the fire away from residences. Crews are engaged in operations to steer the head of the fire away from town, and keep it up on the hills. Fire fighters continue to work under an extreme fire behaviour warning which is in effect until 8:00 pm tonight. The priority for fire officials is the protection of structures with wildland and structural fire fighters working together.

B.C. Forest Service officials can confirm the loss of three more trestles in Myra canyon. The total for the Kettle Valley Railway is twelve wooden trestles destroyed and 2 metal trestles damaged. The four remaining trestles continue to be at risk. If safe to work around Trestle 1 crews will attempt to set up a sprinkler system to provide additional protection. Press release.

Notes on 12:30 pm press conference September 7 - 12:54 pm 

Ministry of Forestry:  650 fire fighters, 20 helicopters, 200 piece of heavy equipment are working the fire.  There is also air tanker support.  Winds are still tricky.  No residences were lost last night.  Expecting winds today.  So far today the wind is pushing fire away from town back on the hill.  The current spotting distance of the fire is 800 meters to 1.5 km. (This is how far the fire can jump ahead of itself.)   Only four trestles remain 1, 12, 16, 17 plus the two steel trestles 6 and 8 (without their wood decks).  They are getting in water support so they can get dozers in to build guards to steer the fire.  The fire is 3 km from McCullough Road, 5 km from Joe Rich, 6 km from Idabel lake, and 25 - 30 km away from Big White.  There are 400 residents or workers at Big White.  Big White residents have been informed of second road out of resort. There is a chance of more evacuations in Kelowna today. 

Assistant Fire Chief: Over 300 fire fighters were involved last night.  There is a contingency plan to evacuate Big White if need be.  The area of most concern is McCullough Road.  There were 6 units protecting the Mission from flare ups last night. 15 units were posted in Joe Rich and 27 units posted to June Springs/McCulloch Road area.

EOC Director:  Thanks to Shaw Cable for manning the phones for the public info line.

RCMP: RCMP helped 990 evacuate last night.  3 homes refused the Evacuation Order.  Residents who refuse to leave are not allowed to wander around in evacuation area order.  They must stay in their homes.  Most residents were prepared to leave when asked to do so by RCMP.  Once you leave an Evacuation Order area you will not be allowed back in.  Evacuees - please register at Parkinson Recreation Center.  Firefighters discovered a marijuana grow operation last night in the Joe Rich area.  800 plants were seized as was air conditioning and generator equipment.  RCMP know who the owner is.

Good Day Fighting Fire September 7 - 7:17 pm 
From the Emergency Operations Center - A day of progress has been reported by the Ministry of Forests for those fighting the Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park forest fire.

Winds generally remained light, allowing ground crews to work on solidifying guards, while fixed wing aircraft crews cooled the fronts on steep terrain and chopper crews dumped water and retardant at lower elevations.

Overnight, municipal fire crews will maintain their existing level of fire watch with 15 units patrolling in the June Springs Road area, nine units keeping watch in the Joe Rich area and one on patrol through the Mission.

As a precautionary measure, as of 5:42 pm an Evacuation Order has been issued for the Idabel Lake Resort area. It's believed half a dozen families are affected by the upgrade in status. While the resort is in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, these people are asked to register at the Parkinson Recreation Centre Evacuee Registration Centre, 1800 Parkinson Way, off Highway 97 between Spall and Burtch Roads. The centre has been busy today as people forced from their homes early this morning from the Kimatouche Road subdivision made their way in to register.

At the present time, all other Evacuation Orders and Alerts remain in effect. Emergency Operation Centre officials are constantly reviewing the status of the Orders and Alerts in light of weather conditions, forecasts and fire behaviour. Any change will be relayed via the media. An estimated 4,248 residents are out on Evacuation Order, while approximately 14,110 residents remain on Evacuation Alert.

The subject of temporary access for residents who've been forced from their homes will be reviewed tomorrow (Monday) morning, and will be based on the latest information on fire activity and weather forecasts.

No further releases are planned until 7:00 am Monday morning.  EOC Press Release.

Fire Crews Made Progress Throughout the Day September 7 - 5:30 pm 
Ministry of Forestry - The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 25,300 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 20 helicopters and 200 pieces of heavy equipment. Additional air support is being provided by a Martin Mars and CL-415s.

Today air tankers and helicopters worked to establish a control line of fire retardant from the Myra Forest Service Road to the Kettle Valley Railway right of way. The area between the fire front and the retardant line was burnt off in an attempt to prevent the fire from spreading toward eastern side of Kelowna.

Air and ground operations will continue throughout the day and late into the evening. Ground crews will continue to work through the night where safe to do so. Air operations will begin again at first light if conditions are favourable.

The revised weather forecast, which calls for winds from the northwest at seven to fifteen kilometres. per hour, is favourable for the fire fighting efforts.

People are asked to avoid traveling in or near the affected areas for a look at the fire. Congestion increases the risk of an accident and emergency officials need to be able to deploy equipment in a timely manner.  Press release.

Winds Cause Fire Spread September 7 - 1:23 pm 
MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE – The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 25,300 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 20 helicopters and 200 pieces of heavy equipment. Additional air support is being provided by air tankers.

As predicted, winds occurred over the fire area resulting in a size increase of 1,300 hectares. The fire spread was from the upper Myra canyon in a northerly direction toward McCulloch Road. The wind direction was favourable and pushed the fire up on the top of the hills, away from Kelowna residences.

Today’s forecasted winds will continue to push the fire away from residences. Crews are engaged in operations to steer the head of the fire away from town, and keep it up on the hills. Fire fighters continue to work under an extreme fire behaviour warning which is in effect until 8:00 pm tonight. The priority for fire officials is the protection of structures with wildland and structural fire fighters working together.

B.C. Forest Service officials can confirm the loss of three more trestles in Myra canyon. The total for the Kettle Valley Railway is twelve wooden trestles destroyed and 2 metal trestles damaged. The four remaining trestles continue to be at risk. If safe to work around Trestle 1 crews will attempt to set up a sprinkler system to provide additional protection. Press release.

Notes on 12:30 pm press conference September 7 - 12:54 pm 

Ministry of Forestry:  650 fire fighters, 20 helicopters, 200 piece of heavy equipment are working the fire.  There is also air tanker support.  Winds are still tricky.  No residences were lost last night.  Expecting winds today.  So far today the wind is pushing fire away from town back on the hill.  The current spotting distance of the fire is 800 meters to 1.5 km. (This is how far the fire can jump ahead of itself.)   Only four trestles remain 1, 12, 16, 17 plus the two steel trestles 6 and 8 (without their wood decks).  They are getting in water support so they can get dozers in to build guards to steer the fire.  The fire is 3 km from McCullough Road, 5 km from Joe Rich, 6 km from Idabel lake, and 25 - 30 km away from Big White.  There are 400 residents or workers at Big White.  Big White residents have been informed of second road out of resort. There is a chance of more evacuations in Kelowna today. 

Assistant Fire Chief: Over 300 fire fighters were involved last night.  There is a contingency plan to evacuate Big White if need be.  The area of most concern is McCullough Road.  There were 6 units protecting the Mission from flare ups last night. 15 units were posted in Joe Rich and 27 units posted to June Springs/McCulloch Road area.

EOC Director:  Thanks to Shaw Cable for manning the phones for the public info line.

RCMP: RCMP helped 990 evacuate last night.  3 homes refused the Evacuation Order.  Residents who refuse to leave are not allowed to wander around in evacuation area order.  They must stay in their homes.  Most residents were prepared to leave when asked to do so by RCMP.  Once you leave an Evacuation Order area you will not be allowed back in.  Evacuees - please register at Parkinson Recreation Center.  Firefighters discovered a marijuana grow operation last night in the Joe Rich area.  800 plants were seized as was air conditioning and generator equipment.  RCMP know who the owner is.

No Day Re-entry Today for Residents on Evacuation Order September 7 - 9:41 am 
There will be no temporary re-entry today, Sunday September 7th, for the 4,230 residents under Evacuation Order.  EOC Press Release. 

Morning Recap September 7 - 6:43 am 
Another 990 residents of South East Kelowna were evacuated from their homes early this morning as the Okanagan Mountain Park fire flared up again. The order was issued at two am and affected 329 properties in the Kimatouche Road subdivision. The wind whipped up the flames to within a kilometre of some homes in a few cases. Kelowna Fire department officials say no structures were lost. Police say shortly after the evacuation order was issued the wind died down and there was a sprinkling of rain.

Officials have said we would need five continuous days of rain to make any difference in the fire situation. There is a risk of thundershowers today in the forecast. Emergency Social Services Coordinator Beryl Itani says they were able to accommodate about 130 households of evacuees in local hotels and motels after they made their way to the Parkinson Rec Centre. Itani says because the area was under an evacuation alert other residents made alternate arrangements in case they had to leave quickly.

Weather Forecast As of 5 am September 7 - 6:33 am 
Today.. Cloudy with sunny periods. 60 percent chance of showers this morning. Risk of a thundershower. Local smoke. Wind increasing to southwest 20 km/h gusting to 40 by mid morning. High 25. UV index 4 or moderate.
Tonight .. Cloudy periods. Local smoke. Wind southwest 20 km/h gusting to 40 becoming light this evening. Low 7.
Monday .. Sunny with cloudy periods. Wind becoming southwest 20 km/h near noon. High 22. 
Air Quality: today 63 (poor).  Monday 44 (fair). Quality ratings of 'good', 'fair', 'poor' correspond to air quality sub-index ranges of 0-25, 26-50 and >50 respectively.
 

New Evacuation Order Issued 2 am September 7
An Evacuation Order has been issued for residents of the Kimatouche Road subdivision directly west of the Gallagher's Canyon area.

Wind activity is pushing the fire directly towards these homes.

The Evacuation Order affects 329 properties and approximately 990 people, bringing the new total of residents on Evacuation Order to 4,230.

The roads and streets affected by the new Evacuation Order are:

Carter Road
Claxton Court
Eastwood Court
Eastwood Drive
Flower Court
Glenfir Court
Greenwood Court
Hyak Road
Kekuli Court
Kimatouche Road
Lakevale Place
Larkspur Court
Lemky Road
Lupin Crescent
McClain Road - West Side
Mowitch Court
Spaarpak Road
Summerside Court
Summerside Drive
Suncrest Court
Sunshine Road
Tatlow Road
Tillicum Court
Water Road - South Side

Evacuated residents should report to the Parkinson Recreation Centre at 1800 Parkinson Way, off Highway 97 between Spall and Burtch Roads.

It is extremely important that all evacuated residents register so that out of town family and friends will be able to contact them. As well, if residents need services such as food, clothing or lodging they must be registered with Emergency Social Services. Evacuated residents should bring sleeping bags and pillows for every member of their family. Full EOC Press Release.

See the new Evacuation Order and Evacuation Alert map as of September 7, 1:20 am.  (PDF 1MB)

Extreme Fire Behavior Expected Tonight -
Another Two Trestles Lost September 6 - 7:24 pm
MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE –  The fire remained active today along the eastern flank in the upper Myra canyon, though no significant spread occurred.

B.C. Forest Service officials confirmed today that two more Myra Canyon trestles were destroyed last night and today bringing the total to nine destroyed and two damaged. The remaining trestles continue to be at risk. Helicopters continue to drop fire retardant and target hot spots as visibility permits. Control operations in the Myra canyon are limited due to the extremely rugged terrain and volatile fire conditions.

Winds are expected to strengthen overnight and tomorrow. An extreme fire behaviour warning has been put into effect from 8:00 pm tonight until 8:00 pm Sunday. While it is too early to tell how large tonight’s excursions will be, tinder dry forests, high temperatures and high winds make the situation extremely serious.If the forecast winds materialize fire activity will increase on the slopes and will be visible from Kelowna. People are asked to avoid traveling to the affected areas. Congestion increases the risk of an accident and emergency officials need to be able to deploy equipment in a timely manner.
Fire fighters can only conduct limited fire suppression activities during the night and only when it is safe to do so. While a lot may be happening in terms of fire spread and behaviour we will not be able to provide on-going information as it will not be available to us. Generally fire information is made available after we have had the opportunity to have a thorough look at the fire in daylight. Full press release.

Fight to Save Trestles Continues September 6 - 12:03 pm
MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE – The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 24,000 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 20 helicopters and 200 pieces of heavy equipment.

The 400 hectares of fire spread over the last twenty-four hours has been mainly along the eastern perimeter in the upper elevations.

The fire continues to be active in Myra Canyon. The canyon is deep with very steep, rugged sides. This is preventing heavy equipment and ground crews from being used to establish control lines. Bucketing with helicopters was used extensively yesterday to protect the remaining trestles along the Kettle Valley Railway. The same is planned for today if smoke conditions allow.

Crews continue to mop up and patrol along the northern perimeter (section of the fire closest to Kelowna); and the southern perimeter (section of the fire adjacent to Naramata).

Winds are expected to be light for most of the day, cooler temperatures and minor amounts of precipitation are also included in the forecast. There is a risk of late day dry thunderstorms passing through the area. Strong gusty winds are expected to be associated with these storms.

Safety of the crews continues to be the highest priority as ground conditions are extremely dry and volatile. A significant rain or a long period of stable conditions is required to help crews get the upper hand on this fire.

In an attempt to contain the fire and protect the Myra Canyon trestles; from September 1st to September 4th fixed wing aircraft have dropped 284,070 liters of retardant and 959,236 liters of water. Full Press Release.

Extreme Fire Behavior Expected Tonight -
Another Two Trestles Lost September 6 - 7:24 pm
MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE –  The fire remained active today along the eastern flank in the upper Myra canyon, though no significant spread occurred.

B.C. Forest Service officials confirmed today that two more Myra Canyon trestles were destroyed last night and today bringing the total to nine destroyed and two damaged. The remaining trestles continue to be at risk. Helicopters continue to drop fire retardant and target hot spots as visibility permits. Control operations in the Myra canyon are limited due to the extremely rugged terrain and volatile fire conditions.

Winds are expected to strengthen overnight and tomorrow. An extreme fire behaviour warning has been put into effect from 8:00 pm tonight until 8:00 pm Sunday. While it is too early to tell how large tonight’s excursions will be, tinder dry forests, high temperatures and high winds make the situation extremely serious.If the forecast winds materialize fire activity will increase on the slopes and will be visible from Kelowna. People are asked to avoid traveling to the affected areas. Congestion increases the risk of an accident and emergency officials need to be able to deploy equipment in a timely manner.
Fire fighters can only conduct limited fire suppression activities during the night and only when it is safe to do so. While a lot may be happening in terms of fire spread and behaviour we will not be able to provide on-going information as it will not be available to us. Generally fire information is made available after we have had the opportunity to have a thorough look at the fire in daylight. Full press release.

Updated Weather Forecast 4 pm September 6 - 4:06 pm
Tonight .. Smoke. Increasing cloudiness early this evening then 70 percent chance of showers. Risk of a thundershower near midnight. Wind becoming south 20 km/h this evening. Low 15.
Sunday .. Cloudy with sunny periods. 60 percent chance of showers. Wind southwest 20 km/h gusting to 40. High 23. UV index 5 or moderate.
 

Fight to Save Trestles Continues September 6 - 12:03 pm
MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE – The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 24,000 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 20 helicopters and 200 pieces of heavy equipment.

The 400 hectares of fire spread over the last twenty-four hours has been mainly along the eastern perimeter in the upper elevations.

The fire continues to be active in Myra Canyon. The canyon is deep with very steep, rugged sides. This is preventing heavy equipment and ground crews from being used to establish control lines. Bucketing with helicopters was used extensively yesterday to protect the remaining trestles along the Kettle Valley Railway. The same is planned for today if smoke conditions allow.

Crews continue to mop up and patrol along the northern perimeter (section of the fire closest to Kelowna); and the southern perimeter (section of the fire adjacent to Naramata).

Winds are expected to be light for most of the day, cooler temperatures and minor amounts of precipitation are also included in the forecast. There is a risk of late day dry thunderstorms passing through the area. Strong gusty winds are expected to be associated with these storms.

Safety of the crews continues to be the highest priority as ground conditions are extremely dry and volatile. A significant rain or a long period of stable conditions is required to help crews get the upper hand on this fire.

In an attempt to contain the fire and protect the Myra Canyon trestles; from September 1st to September 4th fixed wing aircraft have dropped 284,070 liters of retardant and 959,236 liters of water. Full Press Release.
 

Other Highlights from the 11 am media conference
Ministry Of Forestry:  The trestles left are north of the fire line.  RJP Holdings has a structural protection team in Myra Canyon right now trying to protect the remaining trestles.  Joe Rich is now 7 km from the fire. Bombers may be in action again today if the smoke lifts. 

Overnight Update September 6 - 8:09 am
The predicted winds in the forecast for Friday evening did not materialize and that made for a relatively quiet time overnight. Emergency Operations Centre Information Officer Carol Suhan says the fire department is reporting the usual activity of mopping up hot spots and watching on a 24 hour basis. Over three thousand Kelowna residents in the Gallagher's Canyon and June Springs area remain on evacuation order after a Wednesday evening flare up of the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. Thousands of other are again on evacuation alert in Kelowna southern suburbs.

Weekend Weather Forecast as of 5 am September 6 - 7:22 am
Today .. Sunny. Local smoke. Wind becoming south 15 km/h this afternoon. High 32. UV index 5 or moderate.
Tonight .. Cloudy periods. 40 percent chance of showers or thundershowers. Local smoke. Wind south 20 km/h becoming light near midnight. Low 15.
Sunday .. Cloudy with sunny periods. 70 percent chance of showers. Wind becoming southwest 20 km/h near noon. High 23.
Air quality forecast ..  Today 52 (poor).  Sunday 38 (fair).  Quality ratings of 'good', 'fair', 'poor' correspond to air quality sub-index ranges of 0-25, 26-50 and >50 respectively.
 

Red Cross Relief Effort Update September 5 - 9:26 pm
Thanks to the overwhelming generosity from across Canada, the Canadian Red Cross has now raised over $2.3 million in donations, pledges and gifts in kind supporting its BC Forest Fire Response Fund. The Red Cross believes this amount will be sufficient to address the unmet needs of those already impacted by the fires in BC.

However, more financial help could be required if the situation changes dramatically.

The funds are already at work in the affected communities, helping families to meet their immediate basic needs as they get re-established. Red Cross funds basic, unmet needs such as food, shelter and clothing.

To schedule an appointment with a case worker, fire-affected individuals in Kelowna can contact Red Cross at (250) 763-1859, ext. 215. Those impacted in the Barriere-McLure area can call 250-672-2128.

Should the amount of donations exceed what is required to address the needs relating to this disaster, remaining funds will go into the Red Cross’ Canadian Disaster Relief Fund. This fund ensures that all Canadians impacted by disaster can access assistance—no matter how much profile and resulting generosity that disaster generates. This fund is critical to allowing Red Cross to quickly mobilize support on the ground quickly. In fact, its existence allowed Red Cross to commit funds in the Barriere-McLure area even before donations were in the bank.

Red Cross is committed to using the funds generously donated by concerned Canadians to ensure basic needs in BC's fire-affected communities are met during the many months of recovery ahead.

Evacuee Registration September 5 - 10:08 am
All evacuees whose referrals expire today, Friday September 5th or tomorrow Saturday September 6^th, must go to the Parkinson Recreation Centre to have those referrals extended.  Full EOC Press Release

Weekend Weather Forecast as of 4 pm September 5 - 10:41 pm
Tonight .. A few clouds. Local smoke. Low 10.
Saturday .. Sunny with cloudy periods. 30 percent chance of showers in the evening with risk of thundershowers. Local smoke dissipating in the afternoon. Wind becoming south 20 km/h in the afternoon. High 31. UV index 5 or moderate.
Sunday .. A mix of sun and cloud. 60 percent chance of showers. Windy. Low 12. High 26.

Red Cross Relief Effort Update September 5 - 9:26 pm
Thanks to the overwhelming generosity from across Canada, the Canadian Red Cross has now raised over $2.3 million in donations, pledges and gifts in kind supporting its BC Forest Fire Response Fund. The Red Cross believes this amount will be sufficient to address the unmet needs of those already impacted by the fires in BC.

However, more financial help could be required if the situation changes dramatically.

The funds are already at work in the affected communities, helping families to meet their immediate basic needs as they get re-established. Red Cross funds basic, unmet needs such as food, shelter and clothing.

To schedule an appointment with a case worker, fire-affected individuals in Kelowna can contact Red Cross at (250) 763-1859, ext. 215. Those impacted in the Barriere-McLure area can call 250-672-2128.

Should the amount of donations exceed what is required to address the needs relating to this disaster, remaining funds will go into the Red Cross’ Canadian Disaster Relief Fund. This fund ensures that all Canadians impacted by disaster can access assistance—no matter how much profile and resulting generosity that disaster generates. This fund is critical to allowing Red Cross to quickly mobilize support on the ground quickly. In fact, its existence allowed Red Cross to commit funds in the Barriere-McLure area even before donations were in the bank.

Red Cross is committed to using the funds generously donated by concerned Canadians to ensure basic needs in BC's fire-affected communities are met during the many months of recovery ahead.

Boaters Make way for Water Bombers September 5 - 4:11 pm
RCMP Press Release - With the cloud cover and smoke lifting, the water bombers are taking advantage of this opportunity to bombard the fire.

Anyone in Kelowna can see that these planes are taking on water in rapid succession. There is little room for error. The RCMP are reminding boaters that they must keep clear of the area as the planes need free and clear access to the lake. This is difficult enough without boaters complicating matters. There is a police vessel on Okanagan Lake to ensure that their fire fighting effort is not hampered as time is of the essence. Please use your common sense.

Kelowna And Area Okanagan Fire Recovery Society September 5 - 2:22 pm
The Kelowna and Area Okanagan Fire Recovery Society has been formed to coordinate community recovery efforts in the wake of the Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire.

The society aims to encourage reconstruction and enhancement in the community and surrounding areas. Working with other agencies and groups, the society hopes to further develop Kelowna’s reputation as a beautiful caring community.

The Society will also oversee the Kelowna and Area Okanagan Fire Recovery Trust Fund, a fund that was recently created to assist in rebuilding lives and the community.

Dave Rush is Chair of the Society and the Board of Directors includes: Sue Dulik, Ken Ficocelli, Jim Grant, Debbie MacMillian, Don Shafer, Shirley Staley, Mark Stober, Gail Temple, Todd Upgaard, Bruce Vidal, and Ken Webster.

The Society has held its first meeting and is in the process of identifying projects that may be eligible to receive funds. The City is conducting a needs assessment analysis and the Society will be using this to help them determine appropriate needs. The emphasis of the Society will be on coordinating recovery efforts to rebuild and restore Kelowna and surrounding communities physically, socially, and economically.

Community input is being sought to develop concepts on potential use of the funds, available resources and needs.

All monies donated to the Kelowna and Area Okanagan Fire Recovery Trust Fund will stay in the area impacted by the Okanangan Mountain Park fire. All donations will be used for the purposes of the Society – no administrative costs will be covered by these funds and all Directors are working as volunteers. Donations can be made at any Scotiabank branch in Canada to account number 80150-00058-19.

All queries should be directed to the Society Office at the Okanagan Fire Recovery Centre at 520 Bernard Avenue, or by calling 868-2632. Press Release

Weather Forecast Revised September 5 - 12:02 pm
Environment Canada has revised its forecast and the news is good. It had been predicting strong winds today and tomorrow. Those winds have been downgraded to less than 20 kilometres an hour out of the south west for today and the same for Saturday out of the south. There's also rain in the immediate forecast. Rain is expected to start falling Saturday night and into Sunday.

Notes from the 11 am Press Briefing September 5 - 11:37 am

Ministry of Forestry: The fire is now 23,600 hectares.  650 firefighters, 22 helicopters, 200 pieces of heavy equipment are working the blaze.  It remains 60% contained. 

More Trestles Lost September 5 - 11:28 am
MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE – The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 23, 600 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 20 helicopters and 200 pieces of heavy equipment.

Warm and windy conditions in the higher elevations contributed to the 800 hectare increase in fire size. The fire spread was mainly in the upper portions of Myra Canyon and above the Kettle Valley Railway to the east. There are no residences in this area.
Unfortunately additional trestles have been lost and others are at risk. At this time six wooden trestles have been lost and two others have been damaged.

Some burn off operations were conducted yesterday morning along the Kettle Valley Railway, the flames and smoke were visible from Kelowna. This burn off was successful in reinforcing the control lines along the northern perimeter of the fire; the section that is south of residential subdivisions.

The weather forecast calls for mainly sunny, with warm temperatures along with southwesterly winds in the higher elevations of 25 kilometers per hour and occasional gusts to 35 kilometers per hour.

Temperatures over the last few days were 10 degrees above normals for this time period and were at or near record highs. This is consistent with a summer that has set drought records in much of Southern Interior.

The summer of 2003 was the driest since records began in 1899. Kelowna has set a record for consecutive days without precipitation (44) between June 22nd and August 6th.  Full press release is here.

RCMP Update September 5 - 11:16 am
Kelowna: Winds remained calm last night which meant the Okanagan Mountain Park fire was not pushed any closer to homes on the southeast section of Kelowna. Approximately 3,200 people remain evacuated and a further 15,000 remain on alert.

RCMP, Citizens on Patrol, Bylaws and Commissionaires are manning roadblocks and conducting roving patrols throughout the evacuated areas. Highway 33 remains open to restricted traffic and is subject to a short notice closure. Travelers are reminded that they will not have any side road access nor will stopping along the highway be permitted. There are police patrols within this area.

A Kelowna male was charged yesterday after running the road block at Matthews and Sealy. He attempted entry twice and when he was turned away, became belligerent and verbally abusive to the members working. He went through a yard and in behind the road block. Members activated their emergency equipment and followed. The male refused to stop until he pulled into a driveway. At this point the male was identified, arrested and released on an Appearance Notice. He is facing charges of Failing to Stop/Cause Pursuit and Be in a Restricted Zone contrary to the Forest Practice Code.

Day Passes Issued Today September 5 - 10:08 am
Day passes (temporary re-entry) for people in most areas under Evacuation Order (Gallagher's Canyon, Joe Rich, McCulloch Road, McCulloch Lake, and south west of the City of Kelowna boundary to Stewart Road West) are being issued today between 9:45 am and 2:00 pm.  Proof of residency will be required at RCMP road checks.  Only residents who have valid proof that they live in the area will be allowed re-entry today.  As a safety precaution, residents on Evacuation Order from the June Springs area above the power-line are not being allowed re-entry at this time.  

Agricultural Passes are being issued today between 9:30 am and 2:00 pm from the Ministry of Agriculture office, #200-1690 Powick Road.  Passes will only be provided to farmers with proper identification.  A driver's license will be required as well as vehicle license plate numbers and the number of passengers in each vehicle.  Labourers must travel with the farm operator who obtains the pass.  If producers have any questions they're asked to contact Wray McDonnell at 250-878-3636. Full EOC Press Release

Evacuee Registration September 5 - 10:08 am
All evacuees whose referrals expire today, Friday September 5th or tomorrow Saturday September 6^th, must go to the Parkinson Recreation Centre to have those referrals extended.  Full EOC Press Release

Firefighting Ranks Bolstered September 5 - 6:45 am
MORNING UPDATE FROM THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER
It's a bonus when forecast winds don't materialize!

Such was the case last night, as winds remained relatively calm, not pushing the Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire any closer to homes on the southeast section of Kelowna.

City fire crews and those supporting them from neighbouring municipalities continued their routine patrols of evacuated and other areas. They quickly snuffed out a few small spot fires. Some crews also pre-treated houses in a few areas with fire retardant gel.

As Emergency Preparedness officials planned for gusty winds, they requested more support from out of the region to help with the possible fire fighting effort. Trucks and crews from municipalities around the province have again started to return to Kelowna. It's expected by later today that 40 units will have arrived from local fire departments throughout B.C. They'll assist City of Kelowna and neighbouring fire crews through the weekend taking pro-active measures and pre-planning houses that should be treated with gel, should the fire spread toward them.

All Evacuation Orders and Alerts remain in effect today. An estimated 3,200 people remain out of their homes in the Gallagher's Canyon, Joe Rich, McCulloch Road, southern end of June Springs Road, McCulloch Lake and south west of the City boundary to Stewart Road West. There hasn't been any change in the Day Pass Re-entry situation for these residents. Once fire officials survey the status of the fire this morning and consider today's possible weather impact on the fire, this will be reviewed.

More than 15,000 other residents of Kelowna and the Regional District of Central Okanagan remain on Evacuation Alert. 9,600 people living in the Belgo, Black Mountain, Toovey Heights and upper southeast Kelowna areas were put on Alert yesterday afternoon.

Customers of the Black Mountain Irrigation District are reminded that a Boil Water Advisory is in effect until further notice.

Under a Boil Advisory water should be brought to a rolling boil for a minimum of two minutes, then be allowed to cool, prior to drinking, making juice or food preparation. Bottled water is a good option for those who prefer not to boil their water.

The Irrigation District has had to remove its chlorine cylinders from the BMID water treatment works due to the forest fire threat. Without chlorination water entering the service grid will not be adequately disinfected.

This Boil Water Advisory does not apply to customers of Rutland Water Works. Full new release

Friday Weather and Air Quality September 5 - 6:37 am
Today .. Sunny with cloudy periods. Local smoke. Wind becoming southwest 20 km/h this afternoon. High 30. UV index 5 or moderate.
Tonight .. Cloudy periods. Local smoke. Wind northwest 20 km/h becoming light this evening. Low 11.
Saturday .. Sunny with cloudy periods. Local smoke. Wind becoming south 30 km/h in the afternoon. High 31.
Air quality Friday: 62 (poor).  Saturday 51 (poor).  Quality ratings of 'good', 'fair', 'poor' correspond to air quality sub-index ranges of 0-25, 26-50 and >50 respectively.
 

Evening Recap  September 5 - 6:30 am
Five KVR trestles are confirmed lost in the Okanagan Mountain Park fire – but once the smoke clears and officials get a better look, that number could unfortunately go higher.  The affected trestles were numbers 3,4,5,6 and 7,  A sixth trestle has been damaged.

Fire Information Officer Darren Campbell says gusty southwest winds that were predicted didn’t develop and last night turned out much better than originally thought.  But he does admit the blaze may have destroyed more of the historic Kettle Valley trestles and they’ll know more once they get an aerial assessment of the Myra Canyon later this morning.

 Fighting the fire in the canyon has been challenging, to say the least.  Officials call it a  ‘steep box’ canyon with a considerable amount of fuel, both natural and man-made. The KVR trestles are completely OR partially made from creosoted timbers, which are like timbers soaked in kerosene. Once these fuels are ignited, they are virtually impossible to extinguish.

Customers on the Black Mountain Irrigation district have to boil their drinking water again. Another boil advisory was issued last night at 6.

Water should be brought to a rolling boil for a minimum of two minutes, then be allowed to cool, prior to drinking, making juice or being used in food preparation.

Two new evacuation alerts were announced yesterday afternoon because of increased fire activity. Residents in the Belgo, Black Mountain and Toovey Heights areas are on alert.
An Evacuation Alert is also in place for residents of upper southeast Kelowna, the area immediately west of the Gallagher's Canyon subdivision.

These new alerts affect approximately 9,600 people, bringing the total number of area residents on Alert to 15,100.
 

Fire Trestles Destroyed by Fire September 4 - 7:29 pm
MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE - The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 22,840 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 19 helicopters and 197 pieces of heavy equipment.

At a 2:00 PM B.C. Forest Service Operations meeting today the following update was provided.

There has been a significant amount of damage done to the historic Kettle Valley Railway trestles. The full extent of the damage is not known at this time due to the dense smoke within the Myra Canyon; however we do know that five trestles have been destroyed. Every effort is being made to protect this very important piece of British Columbia’s heritage.

The complications that are adding to the intense fire behavior are the steep box canyon and the considerable amount of fuel, both natural and man-made. These trestles are completely or partially made from creosoted timbers, which are like timbers soaked in kerosene. Once these fuels are ignited, they are virtually impossible to extinguish.
The heavy lift helicopters worked to coat the trestles with long term fire retardant this morning. Good progress was made but the effect of those efforts remains to be seen.
Crews worked to consolidate fire lines by burning off the forest fuels between the Kettle Valley right of way and the southern fire front. These operations have been very successful today. Full new release
 

Boil Water Advisory for Black Mountain irrigation District September 4 - 5:58 pm
Customers of the Black Mountain Irrigation District are advised a Boil Water Advisory is in effect as of 6:00 p.m. Thursday September 4th.

Under a Boil Advisory water should be brought to a rolling boil for a minimum of two minutes, then be allowed to cool, prior to drinking, making juice or food preparation. Bottled water is a good option for those who prefer not to boil their water.

The Irrigation District has had to remove its chlorine cylinders from the BMID water treatment works due to the forest fire threat. Without chlorination water entering the service grid will not be adequately disinfected.

This Boil Water Advisory does not apply to customers of Rutland Water Works.  Full EOC Press Release

New Evacuation Alerts September 4 - 3:41 pm
The British Columbia Fire Commissioner's Office has instituted two new evacuation alerts for the Kelowna area due to Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire activity.

Residents in the Belgo, Black Mountain and Toovey Heights areas are on Evacuation Alert   (Click for a street list).

An Evacuation Alert is also in place for residents of upper southeast Kelowna, the area immediately west of the Gallagher's Canyon subdivision. (Click for a street list.)

These new Evacuation Alerts affect approximately 9,600 people, bringing the total number of area residents on Evacuation Alert to 15,100.

Residents are advised to gather essential items such as medications, glasses, valuable papers and keepsakes such as photographs. Preparations should be made to move any disabled persons and young children. Pets and livestock should be moved to a safe area.

As much advance notice as possible will be given should the need to evacuate occur, however limited notice may occur due to changing conditions.  Full EOC Press Release

A map of the new alert area is now available.  (PDF 1MB)

Winds Increase Fire Activity September 4 - 10:41 am

MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE
The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 22,840 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 19 helicopters and 197 pieces of heavy equipment.  The fire grew by approximately 1,700 hectares in the last 24 hours, and is estimated to be 60 percent contained.

Yesterday’s winds in combination with the extremely dry forest created very volatile burning conditions and extreme fire behaviour. The fire spread in a northeasterly direction between Bellevue Creek to Myra Canyon.

The fire has moved into the west side of Myra Canyon; two trestles on the Kettle Valley Railway were lost, an additional two were damaged. The rest of the trestles are considered to be at risk.

No residential structures were lost overnight; crews continue to patrol and mop the north sector of the fire along with the structural firefighters.
Mop up and patrol operations are continuing on the east side which was not affected by yesterday’s fire spread.

The Vaseux fire is estimated to be 3,300 hectares in size. Resources include 610 fire fighters, four helicopters and 89 pieces of heavy equipment.

Yesterday’s winds produced active fire and flare ups on the northeast sector; fire fighters were able to hold the fire within the established control lines with aerial support from helicopters. The Dutton Creek canyon area is continuing to prove challenging for the crews, as control lines must be established using hand tools in the steep terrain.
Mop up operations continue in the Vasuex drainage. Other control lines in the south sector are secure with few hot spots found in the southwest, west and north areas.
Crews continue to ensure continuous water supply and delivery to assist in the mop up operations.  Full new release.

Fire Trestles Destroyed by Fire September 4 - 7:29 pm
MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE - The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 22,840 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 19 helicopters and 197 pieces of heavy equipment.

At a 2:00 PM B.C. Forest Service Operations meeting today the following update was provided.

There has been a significant amount of damage done to the historic Kettle Valley Railway trestles. The full extent of the damage is not known at this time due to the dense smoke within the Myra Canyon; however we do know that five trestles have been destroyed. Every effort is being made to protect this very important piece of British Columbia’s heritage.

The complications that are adding to the intense fire behavior are the steep box canyon and the considerable amount of fuel, both natural and man-made. These trestles are completely or partially made from creosoted timbers, which are like timbers soaked in kerosene. Once these fuels are ignited, they are virtually impossible to extinguish.
The heavy lift helicopters worked to coat the trestles with long term fire retardant this morning. Good progress was made but the effect of those efforts remains to be seen.
Crews worked to consolidate fire lines by burning off the forest fuels between the Kettle Valley right of way and the southern fire front. These operations have been very successful today. Full new release
 

Boil Water Advisory for Black Mountain irrigation District September 4 - 5:58 pm
Customers of the Black Mountain Irrigation District are advised a Boil Water Advisory is in effect as of 6:00 p.m. Thursday September 4th.

Under a Boil Advisory water should be brought to a rolling boil for a minimum of two minutes, then be allowed to cool, prior to drinking, making juice or food preparation. Bottled water is a good option for those who prefer not to boil their water.

The Irrigation District has had to remove its chlorine cylinders from the BMID water treatment works due to the forest fire threat. Without chlorination water entering the service grid will not be adequately disinfected.

This Boil Water Advisory does not apply to customers of Rutland Water Works.  Full EOC Press Release

New Evacuation Alerts September 4 - 3:41 pm
The British Columbia Fire Commissioner's Office has instituted two new evacuation alerts for the Kelowna area due to Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire activity.

Residents in the Belgo, Black Mountain and Toovey Heights areas are on Evacuation Alert   (Click for a street list).

An Evacuation Alert is also in place for residents of upper southeast Kelowna, the area immediately west of the Gallagher's Canyon subdivision. (Click for a street list.)

These new Evacuation Alerts affect approximately 9,600 people, bringing the total number of area residents on Evacuation Alert to 15,100.

Residents are advised to gather essential items such as medications, glasses, valuable papers and keepsakes such as photographs. Preparations should be made to move any disabled persons and young children. Pets and livestock should be moved to a safe area.

As much advance notice as possible will be given should the need to evacuate occur, however limited notice may occur due to changing conditions.  Full EOC Press Release

A map of the new alert area is now available.  (PDF 1MB)

Winds Increase Fire Activity September 4 - 10:41 am

MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE
The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 22,840 hectares in size. Resources in place include 650 fire-fighters, 19 helicopters and 197 pieces of heavy equipment.  The fire grew by approximately 1,700 hectares in the last 24 hours, and is estimated to be 60 percent contained.

Yesterday’s winds in combination with the extremely dry forest created very volatile burning conditions and extreme fire behaviour. The fire spread in a northeasterly direction between Bellevue Creek to Myra Canyon.

The fire has moved into the west side of Myra Canyon; two trestles on the Kettle Valley Railway were lost, an additional two were damaged. The rest of the trestles are considered to be at risk.

No residential structures were lost overnight; crews continue to patrol and mop the north sector of the fire along with the structural firefighters.
Mop up and patrol operations are continuing on the east side which was not affected by yesterday’s fire spread.

The Vaseux fire is estimated to be 3,300 hectares in size. Resources include 610 fire fighters, four helicopters and 89 pieces of heavy equipment.

Yesterday’s winds produced active fire and flare ups on the northeast sector; fire fighters were able to hold the fire within the established control lines with aerial support from helicopters. The Dutton Creek canyon area is continuing to prove challenging for the crews, as control lines must be established using hand tools in the steep terrain.
Mop up operations continue in the Vasuex drainage. Other control lines in the south sector are secure with few hot spots found in the southwest, west and north areas.
Crews continue to ensure continuous water supply and delivery to assist in the mop up operations.  Full new release.

No Day Passes Today September 4 - 10:10 am
Due to increased fire activity there will be no day passes issued today for those 3,200 residents under Evacuation Order in the Gallagher's Canyon subdivision, the Joe Rich area, McCulloch Road, the southern end of June Springs Road , the McCulloch Lake area and south west of the City boundary to Stewart Road West.

Last night close to 1,300 evacuees registered at the Reception Centre at the Parkinson Recreation Centre on Harvey Avenue between Burtch and Spall Roads. Approximately 60 volunteers are on hand this morning and registration is going smoothly. All evacuees are requested to register should they require food, clothing or lodging, and to assist family or friends who may be concerned for their safety.

The fire grew 1,700 hectares over the past 24 hours and now stands at 22,840 hectares. It is 60% contained, 30% of that is lakeshore.

The Kelowna Fire Department has numerous crews patrolling fire impacted areas to snuff out hot spots and flare ups, bolstered by 16 units from out of town.

The leading edge of the fire is approximately three or four kilometres from homes on June Springs Road, and ten kilometres or more away from other residential areas. Fire crews were kept busy overnight controlling sparks in these areas, and today's plans include the re-application of barricade gel to the homes at the south end of June Springs Road.   Full EOC Press Release

EOC Morning Update September 4 - 7:00 am

From the Emergency Operations Center (EOC)): South westerly winds flared fires on Wednesday evening but quieted through the night. Structural fire fighting crews continued to patrol and mop up the hot spots in the Crawford Estates area. Although the June Springs and East Kelowna areas were more active, the fire slowed during the evening and moved further to the east.

There are presently 16 crews and three task forces patrolling the fire impacted areas.

The Evacuation Order for residents in the Gallagher's Canyon Subdivision, McCulloch Road and McCulloch Lake areas, south west of the City boundary to Stewart Road West and Joe Rich in the Regional District are still in place.

All evacuees are advised to register at the Parkinson Recreation Centre, 1800 Parkinson Way, off Highway 97 between Burtch Avenue and Spall Road.

With this new order 3,200 people are on Evacuation Order, including those 70 residents already on Order who live outside of the City boundary at the south end in the southern end of June Springs Road.   Full EOC Press Release
 

Thursday Weather & Air Quality September 4 - 6:20 am

Today. Sunny with cloudy periods. Local smoke. Wind becoming southwest 20 km/h this afternoon. High 30. UV index 5 or moderate. Tonight. Cloudy periods. Local smoke. Wind southwest 20 km/h becoming light this evening. Low 12.  Friday.  Sunny with cloudy periods. Local smoke. High 28.

Air quality today 63 (poor).  Firday 51 (poor)  Quality ratings of 'good', 'fair', 'poor' correspond to air quality sub-index ranges of 0-25, 26-50 and >50 respectively.

Evening Recap  - Okanagan Mountain Park Fire September 4 - 6 am
South winds whipped new life into the Okanagan Mountain Park fire last night, forcing more people from their homes.

Around 7:30 last night, hundreds of residents in the McCulloch Road, McCulloch Lake, Gallaghers Canyon and Joe Rich areas were told to leave. RCMP went door-to-door in an effort to spread the word. With this new order, a total of 3,200 people remain on Evacuation Order in our city – including those at the south end of June Springs Road.

The Parkinson Recreation Centre has once again been set up as an emergency reception center and all regular programming at the Recreation Centre is now suspended. If you are looking for information regarding an evacuee – the number to call is 869-0386.

All schools remain open. Assistant Superintendent Juleen McElgunn says both Black Mountain and South Kelowna Elementary will operate as usual today. She assures concerned parents that student safety is their number one priority and plans are in place to move students quickly, should the need arise.
 

New Evacuation Order - Gallaghers & Area September 3 - 8:58 pm
Due to increased fire activity the BC Fire Commissioner’s Office has issued a new Evacuation Order for Kelowna and the Regional District of the Central Okanagan.

The Evacuation Order includes the Gallagher’s Canyon subdivision, all residents on McCulloch Road east of that subdivision and in the McCulloch Lake area, and south west to the City boundary in approximately a two-kilometre wide swath to Stewart Road West. The Evacuation Order also includes all of the Joe Rich area in the Regional District.

All evacuees are advised to register at the Parkinson Recreation Centre, 1800 Parkinson Way, off Highway 97 between Burtch Avenue and Spall Road.

With this new order 3,200 people are on Evacuation Order, including those 70 residents already on Order who live outside of the City boundary at the south end in the southern end of June Springs Road. Full EOC Press Release

View a list of streets affected here.  Link

Click for a map of the new Evacuation Order, and Evacuation Alert area as of 8:15 pm this evening.  (PDF 1MB)

The call centre for information related to the Okanagan Mountain Park Forest Fire will be available until 1 a.m. Thursday morning. Anyone needing information on evacuation procedures should call: 869-0386

Active Fire and Heavy Smoke September 3 - 6:37 pm
MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE – We are experiencing very active fire behaviour on the Okanagan Mountain Park fire in the area between Bellevue Creek and Myra Canyon. The fire is currently moving in a northerly direction in the Priest Creek drainage above the June Springs area. Airtankers have been requested to apply retardant to the active fire front.

Residents of the June Springs area remain on evacuation order and have been granted day passes to allow entry. The RCMP are now patrolling the June Springs area to ensure residents are no longer present.

The forests are critically dry; this is the overwhelming factor for fire behaviour; the fire responds dramatically to any slight change in temperature, winds, slope, or fuel type.

We continue to monitor and use our resources to their fullest potential. The safety of the fire fighters and public remains our highest priority. Full new release.

Evacuation Alert Area Reduced in Size September 3 - 4:21 pm
The B.C. Fire Commissioner’s Office has changed the boundaries of the Evacuation Alert area now in effect in Kelowna as a result of the Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire.

The Evacuation Alert has been lifted for residents north of Barnaby Road, north east of Crawford Road, north of Saucier Road and Spiers Road and north east of the intersection of McCulloch Road and Gulley Road.

Approximately 9,250 residents in the Joe Rich, Gallagher’s Canyon, Uplands/Okaview, Kettle Valley and Crawford Estates areas, as well as around Hydraulic (McCulloch) Lake, remain under Evacuation Alert. They should be prepared to leave their homes on short notice should the Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire threaten their neighbourhoods. (See map PDF 1MB)

The new Evacuation Alert area falls within the following boundaries (only the south or east sides of the following roads are included):

From Okanagan Lake east to Barnaby Road to the west side of Westridge Dirve, to include all of the Crawford Estates subdivision and along Crawford Road crossing Stewart Road West and along the east side of Stewart Road West to Saucier Road and along the south side of Saucier Road north and east to Spiers Road to June Springs Road and following Gulley Road to McCullough Road on the south side turning north 100 metres east of Mahonia Drive to include all of Gallagher’s Canyon Golf Course and subdivision and following the west side of Gallagher’s to Mission Creek. Then following the south side of Mission Creek to the City of Kelowna boundary; east on Highway 33 including five kilometres on the north of Highway 33 East until you reach the east border of the Regional District of the Central Okanagan; following the Regional District border south and west back to Okanagan Lake not including those areas currently under Evacuation Order.

Approximately 70 residents who live outside the City’s eastern boundary at the south end of June Springs Road remain on Evacuation Order as the leading edge of the fire could threaten their homes if south winds prevail.

Click for a map of the new Evacuation Alert, Evacuation Order, and fire edge map as of September 3, 9:38 am. (PDF 1MB)    Full EOC Press Release

New Evacuation Order - Gallaghers & Area September 3 - 8:58 pm
Due to increased fire activity the BC Fire Commissioner’s Office has issued a new Evacuation Order for Kelowna and the Regional District of the Central Okanagan.

The Evacuation Order includes the Gallagher’s Canyon subdivision, all residents on McCulloch Road east of that subdivision and in the McCulloch Lake area, and south west to the City boundary in approximately a two-kilometre wide swath to Stewart Road West. The Evacuation Order also includes all of the Joe Rich area in the Regional District.

All evacuees are advised to register at the Parkinson Recreation Centre, 1800 Parkinson Way, off Highway 97 between Burtch Avenue and Spall Road.

With this new order 3,200 people are on Evacuation Order, including those 70 residents already on Order who live outside of the City boundary at the south end in the southern end of June Springs Road. Full EOC Press Release

View a list of streets affected here.  Link

Click for a map of the new Evacuation Order, and Evacuation Alert area as of 8:15 pm this evening.  (PDF 1MB)

The call centre for information related to the Okanagan Mountain Park Forest Fire will be available until 1 a.m. Thursday morning. Anyone needing information on evacuation procedures should call: 869-0386

Active Fire and Heavy Smoke September 3 - 6:37 pm
MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE – We are experiencing very active fire behaviour on the Okanagan Mountain Park fire in the area between Bellevue Creek and Myra Canyon. The fire is currently moving in a northerly direction in the Priest Creek drainage above the June Springs area. Airtankers have been requested to apply retardant to the active fire front.

Residents of the June Springs area remain on evacuation order and have been granted day passes to allow entry. The RCMP are now patrolling the June Springs area to ensure residents are no longer present.

The forests are critically dry; this is the overwhelming factor for fire behaviour; the fire responds dramatically to any slight change in temperature, winds, slope, or fuel type.

We continue to monitor and use our resources to their fullest potential. The safety of the fire fighters and public remains our highest priority. Full new release.

Evacuation Alert Area Reduced in Size September 3 - 4:21 pm
The B.C. Fire Commissioner’s Office has changed the boundaries of the Evacuation Alert area now in effect in Kelowna as a result of the Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire.

The Evacuation Alert has been lifted for residents north of Barnaby Road, north east of Crawford Road, north of Saucier Road and Spiers Road and north east of the intersection of McCulloch Road and Gulley Road.

Approximately 9,250 residents in the Joe Rich, Gallagher’s Canyon, Uplands/Okaview, Kettle Valley and Crawford Estates areas, as well as around Hydraulic (McCulloch) Lake, remain under Evacuation Alert. They should be prepared to leave their homes on short notice should the Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire threaten their neighbourhoods. (See map PDF 1MB)

The new Evacuation Alert area falls within the following boundaries (only the south or east sides of the following roads are included):

From Okanagan Lake east to Barnaby Road to the west side of Westridge Dirve, to include all of the Crawford Estates subdivision and along Crawford Road crossing Stewart Road West and along the east side of Stewart Road West to Saucier Road and along the south side of Saucier Road north and east to Spiers Road to June Springs Road and following Gulley Road to McCullough Road on the south side turning north 100 metres east of Mahonia Drive to include all of Gallagher’s Canyon Golf Course and subdivision and following the west side of Gallagher’s to Mission Creek. Then following the south side of Mission Creek to the City of Kelowna boundary; east on Highway 33 including five kilometres on the north of Highway 33 East until you reach the east border of the Regional District of the Central Okanagan; following the Regional District border south and west back to Okanagan Lake not including those areas currently under Evacuation Order.

Approximately 70 residents who live outside the City’s eastern boundary at the south end of June Springs Road remain on Evacuation Order as the leading edge of the fire could threaten their homes if south winds prevail.

Click for a map of the new Evacuation Alert, Evacuation Order, and fire edge map as of September 3, 9:38 am. (PDF 1MB)    Full EOC Press Release

Day Re-entry for June Springs Residents September 3 - 2:10 pm
Residents who live outside the City’s eastern boundary at the south end of June Springs Road will be permitted to return to return to their homes today until 5:00 p.m. Proof of residency will be required at the RCMP road checks. The approximate 70 residents of this area remain on Evacuation Order due to the threat of the Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire.

Public Safety Reiminder
The public is asked to stay out of fire-impacted Crown land and open space private property. Joggers, bikers, hikers and walkers should not be in these areas at any time. Danger trees and deep ash pits pose a significant threat to public safety. Many trees may look healthy but their root structures and trunks could be burned through, rendering them extremely unstable and susceptible to falling at a moment’s notice. Ash pits five feet deep exist and these pits are not easily discernable.

Firefighters continue to work extinguishing fires and hot spots. The public is asked to contact the Fire Department if they notice any flare ups in their neighbourhood. Call 860-6419.

Garbage Disposal
Property owners cleaning up after the Okanagan Mountain Park fire are asked to avoid leaving garbage and debris at the corner of Barnaby and Lakeshore Roads. While a dumpster has been available at this site for fire fighting crews, it has now been removed and there is no garbage collection from this area.  Full EOC Press Release
 

Good Progress Made By Fire Crews September 3 - 10:12 am
MINISTRY OF FORESTS PRESS RELEASE

The Okanagan Mountain Park fire is estimated to be 21,000 hectares in size. Resources in place include 686 fire-fighters, 18 helicopters and 176 pieces of heavy equipment.  There was no significant fire movement last night; the fire is still estimated at 70 per cent contained. Control lines on the south, southeast, north and northeast sectors are holding well, crews continue to mop up and patrol these areas.

Control lines are being established on the east slope of Bellevue Creek, along the finger of the fire that ran to the southeast. If weather conditions are favourable, burn off operations will be conducted to reinforce these control lines. Crews will also receive aerial support, as they work to protect the steel trestle over Bellevue Creek.

The fire is four to five kilometers away from the Myra Canyon Kettle Valley Railroad trestles and is not moving any closer in that direction.

The weather conditions remain hot and dry with no chance of precipitation. Winds are expected to be from the south as a result smoke will probably accumulate in the valley today.

The Vaseux fire is estimated to be 3,300 hectares in size. Resources include 610 fire fighters, of which 200 are military personnel, six helicopters and 89 pieces of heavy equipment.

This fire is now estimated to be 60 per cent contained. Yesterday was a good day on all sectors. Large smoldering and unburnt fuels in the steep terrain of Dutton Creek Canyon still poses a challenge for the crews.

Crews have been making good progress in mop up operations in the Vaseux Creek drainage. The calm winds of the last two days have allowed the crews the opportunity to make good progress on the southeast flank.

Crews continue to work to extinguish any hot spots and mop up along the entire perimeter. Full new release.

Wednesday's Weather / Air Quality  September 3 - 6:22 pm
As of 5 am.  Today .. Sunny. Local smoke. Wind light. High 33. UV index 5 or moderate.
Tonight .. A few clouds. Local smoke. Wind light. Low 13.
Thursday .. Sunny with cloudy periods. Local smoke. High 32   
Air quality forecast ..  Today 51 (poor).  Tomorrow 51 (poor).

Okanagan Fire Recovery Centre Established  September 2 - 6:22 pm
Kelowna residents in need of assistance as a result of the recent Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire now have a central place to access recovery information. As of Wednesday September 3rd all recovery matters will be handled from 520 Bernard Avenue. RBC Royal Bank has generously provided the City of Kelowna with this office space in their former downtown branch.

Several telephone lines are being installed to answer residents’ queries:
• 869-0386 Recovery Centre Office
• 868-2632 Public Information Line
• 868-2605 Recovery Social Services and Housing

Services in the Okanagan Fire Recovery Centre will include:
• Damage assessment
• Agency referral
• Demolition permit information
• Building permit information
• Sewer connection and septic tank permit information

“It is essential we have a central place for displaced residents to determine what their next steps will be, as they begin to recover from this devastating fire,” says David Shipclark, Manager Community Development & Real Estate, City of Kelowna. “We will be providing access to fundamental resources needed at this difficult time.”

“We hope this contribution of office space will make a difference in the lives of individuals and families affected by the severe forest fires,” said Bruce Jones, RBC Royal Bank’s Regional Vice-President, B.C. Interior & North. “We are truly concerned and want to do what we can to help."

The Recovery Centre will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday.

In addition the newly formed Kelowna and Area Okanagan Fire Recovery Trust Fund, established by the City of Kelowna, will be based in these premises. The fund will be administered by a committee chaired by Kelowna lawyer David Rush.

The Parkinson Recreation Centre is no longer acting as a Reception Centre for evacuees. All Emergency Social Services queries should be directed to the Recovery Centre at 868-2605.  Full EOC Press Release
 

Parkinson Recreation Centre is Open For Fitness & Leisure September 2 - 6:22 pm
The Parkinson Recreation Centre is now back in business! The weight room, gymnasium and fitness programs will be up and running as of 6:00 a.m. Wednesday morning, and all regularly scheduled programs will resume that day.

New fall programs are set to begin and registration is available now. Many programs begin next week. Register by phone, in person or via the internet at www.recreationkelowna.com

The Fall Program Guide is available on the City’s website, www.city.kelowna.bc.ca, or drop by the PRC at 1800 Parkinson Way to pick up a copy.

Registration for aquatic programs begins Saturday September 6th, however the Parkinson pool will not be operational until September 22nd. A mechanical problem has necessitated closure of the pool until repairs can be made.
 

Public Asked to Stay Away from Fire Impacted Areas September 2 - 2:25 pm
Firefighters continue to work extinguishing fires and hot spots. To do so, they require easy access to all roads in fire-impacted areas. The Kelowna Fire Department, RCMP, Armed Forces and BC Forest Service fire fighters request that the public stay away to facilitate fire fighting efforts. Everyone is reminded that penalties up to $5,000 and/or six months imprisonment may be imposed for interfering with fire control or suppression operations.

Areas of greatest concern are Chute Lake Road, June Springs Road and South Lakeshore Road. The RCMP will set setting up road blocks and redirecting traffic in these areas.

The public is also reminded to stay out of fire-impacted Crown land and open space private property. Joggers, bikers, hikers and walkers should not be in these areas at any time. Danger trees pose a significant threat to public safety. These trees may look fine but their root structures and trunks could be burned through rendering them extremely unstable and susceptible to falling at a moment’s notice.  Full EOC Press Release