VANCOUVER, B.C. – More than 2,000 residents of B.C.’s Central Okanagan who’ve been forced from their homes by the Terrace Mountain blaze aren’t likely to have their evacuation order rescinded Sunday.
Fire information officer Mitch Miller says he doesn’t yet anticipate any changes to the orders and alerts that have been put in place for the 88-square-kilometre blaze, north of Kelowna.
Miller says fire crews spent much of Sunday morning, while winds were light and the risk of spot fires was reduced, orchestrating a successful controlled burn on the fire’s north slope.
Miller says while burning off dry fuels does carry some risk, it would be far more dangerous to leave the fire’s fate up to the winds.
Bruce Smith with the Regional District of Central Okanagan says officials are reviewing all evacuation orders and alerts on a daily basis.
About 2,150 people in the area are on evacuation order, while another 2,526 are on evacuation alert and could be forced out of their homes at a moment’s notice.
