More than 2,500 properties are on evacuation order, more than 4,800 properties are on evacuation alert due to the McDougall Creek wildfire in West Kelowna alone.
However, the fire in West Kelowna is not the only one that has seen substantial growth in the last 24 hours, and more could still be on their way, according to the province.
“We knew the weather was coming, we knew it was going to have a big impact on the fires, and it did,” Cliff Chapman, the BC Wildfire Service’s Director of Provincial Operations, said this afternoon (Friday) in a provincial news conference. “Now we are seeing the catastrophic impact fires can have as they interface with communities, critical infrastructure, and humans.”
Nearly 40,000 hectares have been burned across the province in the last 24 hours, from 1,614,465 yesterday to 1,651,819, as of 3:00 this afternoon.
Only 11 new fires started in the province in that time, most of the damage done has been due to high and erratic winds, which switched directions and broke through containment lines.
An example of this can be found in the Prince George Fire Centre right beside Stuart Lake.
Chapman showed this image in his presentation, detailing noteworthy fire activity that has happened in the last 24 hours.
The red dots indicate where the fire has grown, the Whitefish Lake wildfire is now considered a wildfire of note after being “very quiet” for the last six weeks.
“Our [containment] lines were challenged, and in some areas, in particular the south of this fire, were lost,” Chapman explained.
Another wildfire that grew exponentially was the Kookipi Creek fire, which has hopped highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon, which has closed the highway.
“Worth putting in perspective, those trees you see in the foreground are probably 150-200 [feet tall],” Chapman said. “The easiest way to describe this, there were real concerns yesterday from people in Vancouver that there was a volcanic eruption in BC across the mountain range.”
“Our priority right now is human and responder safety,” Chapman continued, urging residents to adhere to evacuation orders and alerts when they are given.
“We need you out of your homes, we need you out of the way so we can protect those homes and try to steer the fire away from critical infrastructure and property.”
Bowinn Ma, the Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, strongly echoed that statement, and is asking residents to have their own evacuation plans in place – especially those living in areas currently threatened by wildfires.
“Reach out to family and friends who may be able to provide shelter,” she said. “By staying with family and friends, you are helping those who may not have that option.”
The province is also asking residents to avoid non-essential travel to the Okanagan area.
Chapman said high winds are expected to continue today, which will only mean further fire growth.
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