Family of former auto dealer donates $1 million to college
Gift honouring memory of Ron Jacobsen is largest ever in support of Kelowna campus
The late Ron Jacobsen’s legacy is spelled out in 30 letters. “Ron Jacobsen Pathway to Excellence” reads the huge sign on the exterior of the Kelowna Trades Training Complex at Okanagan College.
However, the burning of grass, use of tiki torches, chimineas, sky lanterns, fireworks, burn barrels and other combustible devices are still prohibited in all centres.
As the Okanagan is part of the Kamloops Fire Centre, campfires are now allowed on Crown land in the region.
But they are still not allowed on land within the jurisdiction of several local governments.
Summerland was quick to issue a notice Friday that its fire ban has not been lifted.
The Central and North Okanagan regional districts also issued notices that their bans remained in effect.
Some other municipalities, including Kelowna, ban campfires at all times.
The provincial government says there’s been a significant reduction in the number of properties under evacuation order and many residents have been allowed to return home.
It says the state of emergency declaration was made to ensure public safety and the co-ordinated response to the summer wildfire season that has seen more than 13,000 square kilometres burned.
The wildfire season isn’t over yet with 485 fires still burning, 19 evacuation orders in place covering about 2,000 people and evacuation alerts affecting almost 4,900 residents.
This is the second year in a row a state of emergency was declared over the wildfires, but last year’s declaration remained in place from early July to midSeptember.
There is also a reprieve from the smoke from the summer wildfires in B.C. and Washington state that at its peak had spread across the country.
The Metro Vancouver regional district lifted its air quality advisory for the area and for the Fraser Valley.
Environment Canada’s forecast for B.C. said it may take a few more days to see marked improvements in the air quality for the Interior regions, while the arrival of a trough of low pressure late Thursday and early Friday brought fresh southwest winds and improving air quality over coastal regions.