Evacuation order for Lake Country residents lifted

Some residents of B.C. Lake Country community have been told it is safe to return home, but an evacuation alert still stands.

As of 8 a.m. Wednesday morning residents of the 58 homes on Nighthawk, Long andTyndall roads have been cleared to return home.

The residentsare the last group in area to have the evacuation order lifted after a wildfire last Saturday destroyed eight homes in the Lake Country area.

Fire officials say they have contained 100 per cent of the fires in the area, but ground crews will continue to extinguish spot fires and assess the area for potential dangers such as falling trees.

"The public must stay out of fire-affected areas for their own safety and obey all warning and hazards signs.Parks, trails and public and private lands in the area of the fire remain closed, including Jack Seaton Park and trails," said The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations in a release.

The District of Lake Country has arranged a town hall meeting for residents who are returning home to the fire-impacted area. The meeting will be held Thursday at 7 p.m. at Windfield Memorial Hall.

Representatives from the B.C. Wildfire Management Branch and a company that supplies fire retardant will be on hand to provide information and answer questions regarding cleanup and recovery.

In the meantime, people who are returning to their homes should refer to the emergency operations centre websitefor more information.