British Columbia's desperate battle against hundreds of wildfires continues on multiple fronts Sunday. A warning sign about fire risk is seen as smoke from wildfires fills the air, in Kelowna, B.C., Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
KELOWNA, B.C. – Fire chiefs say the fight against devastating wildfires that have been rampaging around Lake Okanagan, B.C., has turned a corner after days of destruction.
West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund says “things are finally looking better,” with an army of 500 firefighters engaged in a battle that is now in a new phase.
He says no homes have been destroyed in the past 24 hours and the situation means it’s possible to begin to “talk about recovery.”
Kelowna fire chief Travis Whiting says he’s also “very excited” about the advances being made in the battle, with his crews optimistic and in good spirits.
He says there has been decreased fire activity, compared to the destructive behaviour of the fires in recent days that damaged homes on both sides of the lake.
The developments in the Central Okanagan come amid a desperate battle against hundreds of fires across the province, with 30,000 people under evacuation orders and a provincial state of emergency in effect.
“It’s a day when we can take a deep breath” and focus on strategy, said Whiting.
