Evacuees leave with a trailer of belongings after a wildfire evacuation alert was upgraded to an order and they were forced to leave the Wilden neighbourhood near Knox Mountain, in Kelowna, B.C., Friday, Aug. 18, 2023. Evacuated residents in Kelowna are able to return home after all previous evacuation orders within city limits were lifted late yesterday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Officials say 131 homes and other structures have been destroyed by wildfires in the Shuswap region of British Columbia’s Interior, but no lives have been lost.
Erick Thompson, an information officer for the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, says a survey by the Canada Task Force 1 search and rescue team has indicated that a further 37 structures suffered damage.
Thompson told a briefing that assessments of the damage have been hindered by the ongoing blazes and are subject to change.
Tracy Hughes, another information officer with the district, says cheers broke out in its emergency operations centre when the search team reported there were no known deaths.
The 410-square-kilometre Bush Creek East fire in the region is the target of the most intense wildfire fight in B.C., with thousands of residents ordered to leave their homes.
Hundreds of firefighters are engaged in the battle against that blaze, along with more than 100 pieces of heavy equipment and 17 helicopters.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 25, 2023.
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said 31 structures had been reported damaged. In fact, it was 37.
