Thick smoke from wildfires blankets the area as a man standing on a pier takes a photo of Okanagan Lake, in Lake Country, B.C., Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. Emergency crews in Kelowna, B.C., say they're still working to contain a wildfire on Knox Mountain that spurred an evacuation of area residents on Canada Day. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
KELOWNA – Emergency crews in Kelowna, B.C., say they’re still working to contain a wildfire on Knox Mountain that spurred an evacuation of area residents on Canada Day.
A statement from the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre says lighter winds Sunday aided firefighters in keeping the fire from growing, but crews are dealing with hot spots and flare-ups.
The centre says residents in the Poplar Point, Knox Mountain, Magic Estates and Clifton areas near the fire will remain on evacuation alert until Tuesday, but are no longer under an evacuation order that was in place Saturday afternoon as crews fought the flames.
Deputy fire chief Sandra Follack says people should avoid the area to allow crews to work unimpeded, warning of the potential for another fire to break out.
The statement from the centre says people can face fines of up to $500 if they enter an active fire zone.
On Canada Day, Kelowna RCMP assisted with an evacuation of more than 400 properties and the statement says people in the areas under evacuation alert should be ready to leave quickly in case the fire grows out of control.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July, 2, 2023.
