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South Okanagan Photos

Update on fires and evacuations – in our region

As of 10:00 am Saturday July 22nd morning, most of the mandatory Evacuation Orders will be lifted from homes in the Princeton, BC area due to wildfire. Highway 5A will remain closed but local residents north of Summers Creek Rd with clearance letters supplied by the Regional District will be allowed to go back to their properties. Highway 5A is expected to be reopened at 10:00 am on Monday July 24th pending no change to wildfire conditions over the weekend.

A mandatory Evacuation Order will remain in effect for 17 homes along the southern end of Summers Creek Rd. The southern portion of Summers Creek Rd will remain closed due to the potential of falling trees and unstable rock slopes due to fire. A complete list of all homes remaining on Evacuation Order is listed below.

All homes removed from mandatory Evacuation will remain on advisory Evacuation Alert. All properties near the Princeton wildfire remain under a Local State of Emergency. Fire crews retain the right to enter private property to fight the wildfire. All property owners and residents are asked to stay well back from crews and not interfere with their work. The total number of properties that will be on advisory Evacuation Alert tomorrow will be 587.

Residents along Highway 5A north of Summers Creek Rd can get a clearance letter for their property from the Princeton Emergency Support Services (ESS) Reception Centre at the Riverside Community Centre at 148 Old Hedley Road. The Reception Centre is open from 8 am to 8 pm on Saturday and 8 am to 4 pm on Sunday. Residents can also phone the Reception Centre at 250-295-0202.

The community of Missezula Lake will be downgraded to an advisory Evacuation Alert at 10 am tomorrow but Summers Creek Rd will remain closed. Access to Missezula Lake will only be through unmaintained logging roads accessible from north of the community. Missezula Lake property owners do not need access letters to use these unmaintained logging roads and will not be allowed to exit or enter using Summers Creek Rd. Missezula Lake contains 199 cabins and homes.

Source: RDOS