18 more homes taken off evacuation order, Westside Road reopens to local traffic only

Sep 6, 2021 | 12:30 PM

UPDATE: 12:30 p.m. Sept. 6

As clean up begins for many residents in the wildfire-affected properties within the Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO), the North Westside Transfer Station has expanded its operations and will be open daily from 8 a.m. to noon. The North Westside Transfer Station is only open to RDCO residents, property owners and tenants. For residents outside the RDCO please contact your local government.

Extended hours are designed to give residents additional access to the facility and support clean up and recovery work. To accommodate the extra material at the site, the transfer station will be closed each afternoon to deal with the influx of waste and make space for the following day. The facility will return to normal operating hours October 1st.

There will be no limit on the volume of bagged household waste and non-burnt yard waste impacted households can dispose at this time. The transfer station cannot take building materials, furniture, or large appliances, such as fridges and freezers. Hazardous material and demolition waste such as wood from damaged structures or burnt vehicles cannot be accepted. Visit rdco.com/recycle for more waste disposal options.

Fridge and freezer collection
In an effort to reduce wildlife conflicts in neighbourhoods, resident should not put fridges or freezers outside until just before scheduled collection time. Residents should confirm with their insurer before disposing of fridges or freezers because once collected, they cannot be returned. Curbside pick-up of ruined fridges and freezers will be available until Sept. 14. For fridge and freezer collection, call 1-855-238-9350 to schedule a curbside pick-up.

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Normal rates, hours and site rules remain in place for the Westside Residential Disposal and Recycling Centre at 2640 Asquith Road in West Kelowna. For more information, visit www.rdco.com/recycle.

Response to recovery
BC Wildfire Service and North Westside Fire Rescue remind everyone that the 83,342-hectare White Rock Lake wildfire remains active; and, although the fire is classified as being held, residents in the Alert areas should be prepared to leave their homes at a moment’s notice as we continue to see warm weather in the forecast.

With all Evacuation Orders in the Regional District of Central Okanagan boundary now rescinded, the Emergency Operations Centre is gradually reducing activities. Staff remain ready to respond should conditions change. Residents can leave non-emergency messages at 250-469-8490; calls will be monitored over the weekend for urgent issues and generally returned Tuesday, Sept. 7. Contact 9-1-1 if you see spot fires threatening homes or growing rapidly.

UPDATE: 7:00 p.m. Sept. 5

Evacuation Orders have been lifted for 18 properties on Bouleau Lake Road, which will remain on Evacuation Alert until further notice.

Properties in Estamont, Ewings Landing, Killiney Beach and Westshore Estates also remain under Evacuation Alert until further notice due to the White Rock Lake wildfire.

Find a detailed map showing properties on Alert at www.cordemergency.ca/map.==

Westside Road reopens to local traffic only, water station opens
Sep 5, 2021 | 3:40 PM

Westside Road has been reopened to local traffic only, meaning area residents can now access and egress their properties north to Vernon and south to West Kelowna. However, Drive BC reports that Westside Road remains closed to the general public; see www.drivebc.ca for updates.

For residents who currently have a Do Not Consume Notice for the Killiney Water System, a self-serve water filling station has been set up at the corner of Westside Road and Firwood Road.

The water is from the Upper Fintry Water System which remains under a water quality advisory.

“For the hundreds of people who have been not been able to consume the water from the Killiney Water System, this will hopefully come as good news,” said Corie Griffiths, Regional EOC Director. “The recovery after the fire will be ongoing for a long time and so milestones like roads reopening and access to utilities are important steps.”

Evacuation Orders remain in place for 18 properties on Bouleau Lake Road until further notice due to hazards in the area which limit to access to some properties. Properties in Estamont, Ewings Landing, Killiney Beach and Westshore Estates also remain under Evacuation Alert until further notice due to the White Rock Lake wildfire.

Find a detailed map showing properties on Alert at www.cordemergency.ca/map.

“Unfortunately the area around Bouleau Lake Road within the Central Okanagan Regional District continues to be too hazardous to lift that evacuation order and so the order will remain in place until it is safe for it to be lifted,” continued Griffiths.

Property owners should work with their insurers to resolve remaining hazards and begin the recovery, mitigation and rebuilding process for private structures and properties.

BC Wildfire Service and North Westside Fire Rescue remind everyone that the 83,342-hectare White Rock Lake wildfire remains active; and, although the fire is classified as being held, residents in the Alert areas should be prepared to leave their homes at a moment’s notice.

BC Wildfire Service says an Area Restriction is in effect for all Crown land in the vicinity of the White Rock Lake Wildfire. Hunting and other activities in the backcountry are prohibited for the safety and security of wildland firefighters, and the general public. Find details and a map on the BC Wildfire Service website.

Hazards within the area include ash pits, falling trees and rocks, unstable slopes and burnt over roads. Conservation officers will issue fines to anyone found ignoring the restrictions.

The Regional District of Central Okanagan has provided information and resources on recovering after a wildfire, including the Returning Home Information Guide, which are available online at www.rdco.com/recovery. Staff also handed out more than 750 guides as residents returned home Thursday and Friday.

Starting Tuesday, Sept. 7, Central Okanagan residents, whose properties experienced significant structural damage, can contact the Regional District’s Recovery Office at recovery@rdco.com or 250-469-6111. Waste management services

The North Westside Transfer Station will be open daily from 8 a.m. to noon. Wildfire-affected properties can bring unlimited household waste, until further notice. The North Westside Transfer Station can receive bagged garbage and non-burnt yard waste. Hazardous materials, wildfire demolition waste, building materials, furniture and large appliances, and burnt vehicles cannot be accepted. For a detailed disposal guide on how to manage your cleanup efforts visit www.rdco.com/recovery.

For fridge and freezer collection, call 1-855-238-9350 to schedule a curbside pick-up. Do not put fridges or freezers outside until just before your collection time to avoid attracting wildlife. Residents should confirm with their insurer before disposing of fridges or freezers because once collected, they cannot be returned. Curbside pick-up of ruined fridges and freezers will be available until Sept. 14. Normal rates, hours and site rules remain in place for the Westside Residential Disposal and Recycling Centre at 2640 Asquith Road in West Kelowna. For more information, visit www.rdco.com/recycle.

Emergency Support Services at 1480 Sutherland Avenue will reopen Tuesday, Sept. 7 from noon to 4 p.m. Evacuated residents requiring support can call 250-469-8512. Leave a message after hours.

Hazard information Residents are reminded that private and public lands within the wildfire area will have remaining hazards to people and pets. Watch for wildlife, hazard trees, spot fires and debris and stay clear of any ongoing wildfire suppression activities. The Rapid Assessment Team has inspected more than 340 structures for occupancy suitability and placed placards on those that they have assessed: green – minor to no fire damage, orange – restricted use, and red – unsafe. Please follow the notes that the assessors have provided on the signs. Property owners should work with their insurers to resolve remaining hazards and begin the recovery, mitigation and rebuilding process for private structures and properties.

Animal pick-up Residents with animals in the care of ALERT, call 250-809-7152 or CDART, call 250-809-9589 to arrange pick-up.

More information For updates on wildfire activity in the Regional District of Central Okanagan or for resources on being prepared for an emergency, visit cordemergency.ca, sign up for e-updates, and follow Central Okanagan Emergency Operations social media channels at facebook.com/cordemergency or twitter.com/CO_emerg.

by Pete McIntyre

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