Smoke from the Drought Hill wildfire as of Wednesday, July 30 (photo courtesy of the BCWS / website)

By Liam Verster

Emergency Supports

Resources available for Drought Hill wildfire evacuees

Jul 31, 2025 | 2:56 PM

People displaced by the wildfire burning near Peachland can access some supports and services.

Residents evacuated due to the Drought Hill wildfire can access basic emergency supports online here, or by visiting one of the two reception centres.

Royal LePage Place in West Kelowna has opened its doors as an Emergency Support Services hub until 4 p.m. Thursday, July 31.

The Peachland Community Centre will also be assisting evacuees until 8 p.m. Thursday, and will reopen and resume offering supports at 9 a.m. Friday, August 1.

Additional resources related to emergency preparedness can be found at the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations website.

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Approximately 400 properties have been ordered to evacuate with another 225 on alert due to the fire burning between Highways 97 and 97C.

As of 2:30 p.m. Thursday, the Drought Hill wildfire was estimated at 57 hectares in size and still considered Out of Control and at Rank 2, or a surface fire with some open flame and a slow to moderate rate of spread.

The B.C. Wildfire Service had assigned several resources to the fire including roughly 30 firefighters, aerial supports, and structure protection personnel and equipment. They were also working alongside fire crews from Peachland and West Kelowna.

The BCWS told Vernon Matters the aerial crews “completed their objectives” Thursday morning and were grounded in the afternoon.