White Rock Lake Wildfire Update
News release no. 44 – Central Okanagan, B.C. —Aug 27 2021@4:19pm – BC Wildfire Service says the White Rock Lake wildfire remains active and out of control at an estimated size of 81,483 hectares. The slight decrease in size is due to further accurate mapping on the southeast flank.
Crews have seen positive progress along all flanks of the fire and are currently completing Danger Tree Assessments along the west flank of the fire in preparation for having military personnel commence patrolling in the area tomorrow.
The Evacuation Order for 1,316 properties and 850 properties on Alert, in the North Westside communities within the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, remains unchanged. Residents can visit cordemergency.ca/map to determine if their property is on Order or Alert.
Crews have confirmed that the wildfire has directly impacted 78 properties to date and the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre has contacted most Central Okanagan owners whose properties have sustained significant structural damage. Property assessment work is ongoing as conditions allow, and is subject to change as crews gain further access to affected areas.
“If you have been evacuated and you carry homeowner or tenant insurance, it is important that you contact your insurance provider if you haven’t already done so,” says Doug Gilchrist, Regional EOC Director. “Those under order will most likely have some level of damage that could cause the home to be temporarily unfit for occupancy, or unsafe to live in, until remediation work can be undertaken.”
Central Okanagan evacuees can find out more about Emergency Support Services by calling 250-469-8512 or by visiting the Central Okanagan ESS Reception Centre at 1480 Sutherland Avenue, Kelowna, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The following rules apply:
- Evacuated residents WITH homeowner or tenant insurance will not be given an extension for coverage and should immediately contact their insurance provider to find out what coverage is available.
- Evacuated residents WITHOUT homeowner or tenant insurance may receive support and should contact Emergency Support Services.
You can visit the Insurance Bureau of Canada for more information on the process of an insurance claim as a result of a BC wildfire at www.ibc.ca/ns/disaster/bcwildfire.
There are eligibility requirements for emergency support services. Homeowner or tenant insurance may provide greater support than the Emergency Support Services program. Check with your insurer to determine what may be available to you. For details on eligibility, see the Evacuee Living Assistance Policy (PDF, 378KB).
For more information about this wildfire, visit cordemergency.ca, BC Wildfire Services and sign up for e-updates, follow the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre on facebook.com/cordemergency or twitter.com/CO_emerg or call the information line at 250-469-8490.
News release No. 43 — Central Okanagan, B.C. — BC Wildfire Service says that the White Rock Lake Wildfire remains active and out of control with an estimated size of 82,000 hectares.
“Weather is cooperating with the efforts of BC Wildfire, and amazing work is being done by several agencies,” says Chief Alex Van Bruksvoort. “Dangerous areas are persistent, but are being dealt with daily and North Westside Fire Rescue firefighters continue to do patrols.
Please continue with your patience as we all work so hard to make your community safe for your return.”
The Evacuation Order for 1,316 properties and Alert for 850 properties, in the North Westside communities within the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, remains unchanged. Residents can visit cordemergency.ca/map to determine if their property is on Order or Alert.
Crews have confirmed that the wildfire has directly impacted 78 properties to date and the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre has contacted most Central Okanagan owners whose properties have sustained significant structural damage. Property assessment work is ongoing as conditions allow, and is subject to change as crews gain further access to affected areas.
Central Okanagan evacuees can find out more about Emergency Support Services by calling 250-469-8512 or by visiting the Central Okanagan ESS Reception Centre at 1480 Sutherland Avenue, Kelowna, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The following rules apply:
- Evacuated residents WITH homeowner or tenant insurance will not be given an extension for coverage and should immediately contact their insurance provider to find out what coverage is available.
- Evacuated residents WITHOUT homeowner or tenant insurance may receive support and should contact Emergency Support Services.
You can visit the Insurance Bureau of Canada for more information on the process of an insurance claim as a result of a BC wildfire at www.ibc.ca/ns/disaster/bcwildfire.
There are eligibility requirements for emergency support services. Homeowner or tenant insurance may provide greater support than the Emergency Support Services program. Check with your insurer to determine what may be available to you. For details on eligibility, see the Evacuee Living Assistance Policy (PDF, 378KB).
For more information about this wildfire, visit cordemergency.ca, sign up for e-updates, follow the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre on facebook.com/cordemergency or twitter.com/CO_emerg or call the information line at 250-469-8490.
Hi Wayne:
We’re trailering over at Sean and Lacy O’Neill’s along with 3 other couples. We were evacuated around midnight August 1st. We were not under Evac-Alert but were ordered out. The threat was not imminent at that time but the RDCO decision seems to have been related to OKIB going from Alert to Evac-Order and closing Westside Road. It was SARS out of Kelowna that ordered us out. The trailer was hooked up to our truck and the water tank was full and others empty. We got dressed and started packing food out and left an hour later, all the while being watched and then followed. That was just BS! We came back the next day to retrieve our son’s new truck which was parked in front of a contractor’s work trailer. We were having vinyl siding replaced with Hardie board. The contractor retrieved his trailer that evening. Now the EOC / ESS is advising that evacuees will no longer be eligible for assistance if they have insurance. I don’t give a damn about assistance but until I spend an hour or two at our house inspecting it inside and out, I’m not initiating a claim. If I do it now and then have to do it again after inspection, I may have to file another claim if there is damage, brake-in, theft…Our deductible is $500. We don’t need anymore help. We need to go home. Maybe I’m wrong but I think we’re being held back until the OKIB Reserve is open and the road open. If that’s the case, then that’s BS too. Who closed BC Highways’ Westside Road? The road ROW is excepted out of the Federal Indian Act Reserve is it not and if not, why not. Anyway we really appreciate the NWFR guys and gals staying at it and watching over our neighborhood as well as the RCMP that let us retrieve our son’s truck. He works up north and lives in Revelstoke. He needs his truck. We just want to get home Wayne. We didn’t buy this little trailer to live in for a month. We feel like we’re living in a can.
Joe I am in the same situation as you. First off the decisions on this fire good and bad from first Evacuation order to the lifting of that order and everything in-between belong to the BC Wildfire Service not RDCO we were not consulted prior. RDCO’s position in this event is to facilitate ESS which is Provincially funded and the Province determines eligibility and provides all the funding through EMBC. Sean will confirm that BCWS make all the decisions and don’t take input graciously. I am doing everything to get RDCO to put what ever pressure or influence they can bring to bear to get us all home. If the evacuation order is lifted through OKIB (by BCWS) it will be much easier to get Westshores back in. Westside Road North of Ewings to the North end of Killarney Way should stay closed due and under evacuation order to stop Looky lous, provide security and safety from off gassing where structures were lost. The area was devastated and these residents need their privacy and access to their property for debris removal and reconstruction.
I understand the insurance aspect as well. We all got a rate increase to home insurance due to flooding in 2017 & 2018 even though there was little flood damage within the North Westside aside from roadway/ditches. I’m sure we will all see increases even without a claim. Hope you and Barb are safe. We are truly fortunate those of us that have homes to return to and no one was lost or seriously injured. This fire could have been even more destructive wind, luck and the firefighters were all that stood between our community and this fire. At the Aug 26 Online Townhall a time frame of 5-10 days was offered, with some rain and the determination of the crews and agencies I hope that turns out to be much sooner. The area was to be over flown with thermally eqiped drones that should help make for a better timeline.