At least 50 West Kelowna structures lost to wildfire, but worst hit areas yet to be surveyed

UPDATE:All eyes on weather as B.C. premier set to visit wildfire-affected areas

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THE LATEST:

• More than 50 structures areconfirmedfully or partially destroyed by the McDougall Creek fire in West Kelowna.
• More help is on the way, as hundreds of firefighters from Mexico and South Africa are set to arrive.
• Smoke is blanketing much of the province, promptingair quality advisories and special weather statements.
• A provincewidestate of emergencyis in place in B.C.Here's what it means.
• Non-essential travel to the southern Interior has been restricted as 27,000 people are under evacuation orders, around a third of them in the Kelowna area.
• Homes have been destroyedand more than 4,000properties are on evacuation order in the Shuswap region, astwo major fires combined near Adams Lake.
• The B.C. Wildfire Service says critical equipment has been taken from the area.
• In Northern B.C., a new evacuation order and alert was issued for the Takla First Nation, northwest of Prince George.
• Highway 1 remains closed and evacuation orders are still in placein the Fraser Canyon as a result of the Kookipi Creek wildfire.
• Many people want to help evacuees.Learn more about how to offer your support.
• Find afull list of wildfires, highway closures and evacuation orders and alerts.
• Tunein for ongoing coverage of the wildfire situation onCBC Radio One at88.9 FM in Kelowna, 96.9 FM in Salmon Arm, orby using theCBC Listen app.

More than 50 structures have beenfully or partially destroyed by an aggressive wildfire in West Kelowna, B.C., according to the Okanagan city's fire chief.

Jason Brolund told a news conference Monday morning that crews are trying to systematically survey the areas hit by the McDougall Creek fire to determine the extent of the damage.

"We're not done yet and the most damaged neighbourhoods are still to come," he said.

Brolund said the job of tallying the damage has been challengingbecause some address markers were destroyed by the fire andstreet signs have melted, while downed power lines,ruined roads and fallen trees have made it unsafe to enter some areas.

WATCH| Fire chief explains challenges with identifying destroyed homes:

Firefighters in West Kelowna have difficulty identifying locations

1 year ago

Duration 1:08

West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund reported that firefighting crews are finding addresses on buildings have been burned away, if the entire building itself hadn't already crumbled, and street signs have melted.

In oneneighbourhood, he said, it looked like a hurricane had blown through.

"Trees were ripped out by their roots. The force to make that happen is incredible," Brolund said.

But he reassured residents thata number ofneighbourhoods in the city have been relatively untouched by the fire, with no structures lost.

Brolundadded that as conditions have quietened in the last 24 hours, no other structures have been destroyed.

"What's happening out there is the day-to-day grind of firefighting," he said, applauding the work of firefighters from across the province who've come together to protect West Kelowna.

Video of homes burning

Some residents of West Kelowna are learning their homes are gone throughunofficial channels.

Chris Erickson left his West Kelowna home Thursday as wildfire approached and the next day, he saw a photo of his home in a local newspaper.

"You see just huge flames up in the trees, and at the bottom of the photo, you could see the roof of our house," he said.

Later, a neighbour sent him footage from a doorbell camera that confirmed the damage.

"It's quite the experience witnessingyour house engulfed in flames before it collapses in on itself," he saidfrom a hotel room in Merritt, B.C. "Watching that is hard."

WATCH | West Kelowna residentsees house aflame from neighbour's doorbell camera:

West Kelowna man watched video footage of his home burn taken by neighbour's doorbell camera

1 year ago

Duration 2:25

Chris Erickson's home was one of more than 50 structures lost in the McDougall Creek fire in West Kelowna. Erickson watched video footage taken by his neighbour's doorbell camera of his home in the Rose Valley neighbourhood burning to the ground. Despite losing his residence, Erickson is thanking his neighbours for their kindness and support.

Seagun Laboucane had a similar experience while scrolling through social media.

"I was sitting havingdinner when I first saw ... a picture of what I thought was my house on fire," she said, adding that later footage would confirm the loss.

"It didn't feel real."

Firefighters working back-to-back shifts

According to Brolund, some West Kelowna firefighters are working back-to-back shifts, taking the usual calls from the fire hall at night before heading out to fight the wildfire in the morning.

He said one firefighter was scheduled to become a Canadian citizen on Monday, and will now have to participate in the ceremony by Zoom from behind the fire lines.

"What an important thing and what a massive sacrifice to make," Brolund said.

WATCH| Fire Chief Jason Brolund salutes sacrifices of fire crews:

West Kelowna fire chief emotional as he thanks crews for dedication

1 year ago

Duration 3:14

Jason Brolund says firefighters are working back-to-back shifts and coming back covered in black soot as they try to protect homes and bring the McDougall Creek wildfire under control.

The out-of-control McDougall Creek fire was last measured at110 square kilometres in size, but the B.C. Wildfire Service says smoky conditions have made it difficult to get an up-to-date estimate for the fire.

A total of9,855 propertiesremain on evacuation order in the area of the fire, Regional District of Central Okanagan board chairLoyal Woolridgesaid Monday.

Five structures were destroyed by the fire in Kelowna, while at least two or three were lost in Lake Country, a municipality north of Kelowna, the public heard Monday.

North Westside Fire ChiefRoss Kotcherofski said he was not able to provide an estimate for the destruction in hisjurisdiction, north of West Kelowna, but most of the structural damage has beenin the Traders Cove and Lake Okanagan Resort areas. The resort was destroyed on Friday.

Wilson's Landing Fire ChiefPaul Zydowiczsaid 14 of his firefighters have lost homes to the McDougall Creek wildfire, but have remained on the front lines to help their neighbours.

Smoky skies helping wildfire fight

As the southern quarter of British Columbia is warned about the risk of particulatesin the air from wildfire smoke, those battling blazes in the CentralOkanagan say the smoke is helping their cause.

A special air quality statement andsmoky skies bulletinis in place from Vancouver Island east to the Alberta border, as well as in the central Interior, due to smoke from hundreds of wildfiresburning across the province.

An additional air quality advisory remains in place for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, warning of high concentrations of fine particulate matter in the air.

While the amount of smoke in the air has created harmful conditions for people's health,it's also reducing the sun's intensity, which is helpingthefight against wildfires across the province.

"It is effectively another good day to fight fire, apart from the smoke in the air," Jerrad Schroeder of the B.C. Wildfire Service said Monday morning.

In a long string of posts on X,formerly known as Twitter, the B.C. Wildfire Servicenoted Sunday that rain is in the forecast for late Monday night, which should allow firefighters to gain some ground.

However, the wildfire service also warned thattropical storm Hilary, which is causing flooding in southern California,will bringstrong winds all the way up to B.C., with the potential for more extreme fire behaviour.

WATCH | Firefighters hit back against flames threatening communities:

Fire crews moving forward against blazes near Kelowna

1 year ago

Duration 2:15

Cooler temperatures helped firefighters make progress against wildfires in the Kelowna area after a volatile few days. Meanwhile, the blazes have put a major pause on the areas tourism industry.

So far there is no official count of how many homes have been destroyed across B.C. since fire activity dramatically accelerated last week, but officials have acknowledged the damage is "significant."

An unknown number of homes have also been destroyed in the Shuswapregion east of Kamloops, where the Bush Creek East fire is now burning over 410 square kilometres around Adams Lake and Shuswap Lake.

There are more than 380 active wildfires burning acrossB.C. as ofMonday morning,fuelled by wind, drought and hot weather that have left landscapes tinder dry.

Of those fires, 159are deemed out of controlwhile 14 are categorized asfires of note, meaning they are particularly visible or threatening to property.

B.C. Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma saidthere are now about 27,000people in the province under an evacuation order and another 35,000on evacuation alert.

"We hope that the darkest days are behind us, but the situation is still evolving and the dangers we face are still extreme," she said in an update on Monday.

Premier David Eby announced Monday that he, Ma and Forests Minister Bruce Ralston all plan to travel to fire-affected areas on Tuesday to show that "we will be there when the crisis passes to rebuild," and to gather information about what is needed.

Across B.C., more than 3,500 people are fighting wildland fires, and hundreds of municipal firefighters are helping to protect homes and other buildings, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service.

Another 100 Mexican firefighters and 200 from South Africa are expected to arrivethis week.

Travel restrictions, advisories

The province is under a state of emergency, and travel to B.C.'s southern Interior has been restricted, preventing tourists from using hotels, motels, RV parks and other temporary accommodations in Kelowna and West Kelowna, Kamloops, Oliver, Osoyoos, Penticton and Vernon, so they can be utilized for evacuees.

Wildfires are also affecting several travel corridors through B.C.Highway 1 isclosed in at least two spots: between Lytton and Hope in the Fraser Canyon, and between Chase and Sorrentoin the Shuswap.

Other travel advisories:

• Highway 97, in both directions, just south of Coldstream to Peachland.
• Highway 97,in both directions, six kilometres north of Vernon to three kilometres south of Osoyoos.
• Highway 5A, in both directions, between Old Kamloops Road and Roche Lake Road for 13 kilometres south of Kamloops.

DriveBC has a full listing of all road closures and travel advisories.

New evacuation orders for northern B.C.

On Monday evening, the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechakoand theTakla First Nation issued a new evacuation order for the Germansen Landing and the12 Mile area due to the Big Creek wildfire.

The district also issued an evacuation alert for theManson Creek community because of the same wildfire.

READ MORE ON WILDFIRES:

• Reality is starting to set in for residents of West Kelowna who've lost their homes to wildfire.
• Firefighting gear helping protectstructures from a huge wildfire in British Columbia's Shuswap regionhas been repeatedly moved and removed over the last two days.
• Anyone forced to flee wildfiresshould make a list of damaged or destroyed items and keep receipts for expenses they've incurred,the Insurance Bureau of Canada says.
• Several tourists say they've been saddled with travel planning woes due to the wildfires burning across British Columbia.
• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blasted social media giant Meta on Monday over its decision to block local news as wildfires continue to force thousands of Canadians from their homes.
• As wildfire smoke blankets B.C., here are some common questions about the healthrisks and reminders on how you can help protect yourself when air quality plummets.
• Donating money is the best way to help those affected by the fires, charity experts say.
• Get the news you need without restrictions. Download ourfree CBC News App.

Anyone placed under an evacuation order should leave the area immediately.

Evacuation centres have been set up throughout the province to assist anyone evacuating from a community under threat from a wildfire.

To find the centre closest to you, visit the EmergencyInfoBC website.

Evacuees are encouraged to register with Emergency Support Services online, whether or not they access services at an evacuation centre.

Do you have a story to share?

If you've been affected by the B.C. wildfires and want to share your story, email cbcnewsvancouver@cbc.ca.