Crews are keeping a close eye on the Whelan Creek wildfire in the Ellison area as the blaze remains held but not yet fully under control.
The fire, which sparked around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 6, quickly forced evacuations, triggered a local state of emergency, and temporarily shut down Kelowna International Airport (YLW). Flights were grounded for several hours, however, normal operations resumed around 9 p.m. on July 6.
Most arrivals and departures are on time on Monday (July 6) morning. Passengers are advised to check with their airline or the YLW website for up to date information.
As of the latest update from BC Wildfire Service, the fire is holding at 4.31 hectares. Crews from multiple fire departments, supported by helicopters and ground teams from BCWS fought the blaze yesterday. There are currently three initial attack, two response officers, and a unit crew on the fire as of Monday.
Evacuation orders are still in effect for several homes along Rockface Road and Dead Pine Drive, and 106 other properties remain on evacuation alert. Those on alert are being urged to stay packed and ready to leave at short notice.
The blaze, believed to be human-caused, also left parts of the area without power for several hours as fire officials requested FortisBC to shut off electricity to about 1,000 customers around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday (July 6).
An Emergency Support Services reception centre has been set up at the Beasley Community Centre in Lake Country to help those forced from their homes. As of Sunday night, a small number of evacuees had registered there.
Residents are urged to stay out of evacuation zones and check the CORD Emergency website for the latest updates.
With files from Brittany Webster, Jacqueline Gelineau, Bowen Assman, Jen Zielinski
