Wildfire burns within sight of downtown Kelowna, BC, calls for evacuation order, alarm

Residents near an out-of-control wildfire visible from downtown Kelowna, BC, have been ordered to evacuate from their homes on Canada Day.

Firefighters and aerial bombers tackled the burning Knox Mountain within Okanagan city limits.

The fire broke out on Saturday and by mid-afternoon it was estimated to be four acres.

Police and rescue officials conducted “tactical evacuations” of residents of Knox Mountain and Poplar Point, including Knox Mountain Park, according to the Central Okanagan Regional District.

The municipality has also issued an evacuation alarm for several other homes in the area.

Firefighters tackled the blaze when authorities asked everyone to stay away from the area for their own safety and that of emergency personnel.

“It’s just north of downtown Kelowna, so it’s very visible to the surrounding area,” Aydan Coray, a firefighter’s officer with the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), told CBC News.

“It’s still classified as out of control at this point… so there will be quite a bit of activity in the area.”

Copl. West Kelowna RCMP’s Judith Bertrand says the cause of the fire is unknown and the number of residents to be evacuated is unclear as the situation continues to unfold.

Bertrand says the area around Knox Mountain is quite densely populated and a popular spot for tourists, and police are assisting firefighters with the evacuation to ensure public safety.

She says the Magic Estates area around the mountain is being evacuated because the wind makes it difficult to predict the direction of the fire.

The wildfire service deployed helicopters, fire-retardant aircraft and ground crews to fight the fire.

Vacationers saw BCWS planes carrying red flame retardants drop above the plume of smoke from the blaze on Saturday afternoon.

As of 3 p.m., 12 BCWS personnel were on scene near the blaze and more are on the way, Coray said, as the blaze showed visible flames and a “moderate spread rate.”

“We have personnel on standby at all our bases throughout the long weekend,” Coray added, noting that the continued hot and dry weather in the Okanagan region has made new fires more likely.

Evacuation orders have affected the following areas:

• Poplar point.
• North of Knox Mountain Park Drive.
• Knox Mountain Park.
• Magical estates.
• Rio driving.
• All areas west of Clifton Drive.