Wildfire threat recedes

The massive White Rock Lake fire is no longer out of control.

The 83,000-hectare fire, which stretches from Kamloops to Vernon, is now classified as “being held.”

“The wildfire is not likely to spread beyond determined containment lines,” says the BC Wildfire Service on its website.

As a result, more evacuation orders are being lifted.

An evacuation order for the west side of Irish Creek Road in the North Okanagan regional district has been rescinded. The area is now on evacuation alert. The affected area includes 20 properties on the west side of Irish Creek Road and Beatrice Road.

An evacuation order on the Okanagan Indian Band for all addresses south of Goodwater Drive has also been rescinded. An alert remains in place.

An evacuation order for the remaining properties in Electoral Area B on the west side of Okanagan Lake remains in effect.

An evacuation alert has been rescinded for properties east of Highway 97 and along the east side of Okanagan Lake in the OKIB.

Earlier, evacuation orders were lifted in the Central Okanagan for properties in Ewings Landing, Killiney Beach and Westshore Estates. Eighteen properties on Bouleau Lake Road remain under evacuation order.

And now, evacuation alerts have been removed for properties from Caesars Landing to Fintry

All evacuation alerts have now been lifted for the Mount Law fire in West Kelowna, which is also classified as “being held.”

“Smoke may continue to be visible from active fire within the existing perimeter … These areas of activity within the perimeter are a normal occurrence as fuels continue to be consumed at the interior of the fire,” the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre said.

The Nk’Mip fire near Osoyoos is no longer a major concern.

The wildfire service is removing the fire from its Wildfires of Note webpage, which updates the province’s most serious fires.

“Significant progress has been made on the containment of the Nk'Mip wildfire,” the service said.