Thousands of Okanagan wildfire evacuees in B.C. are being allowed home

VANCOUVER — Some of the first evacuees from the British Columbia wildfire that has been threatening Summerland and Peachland on the shores of Okanagan Lake are being allowed home.

The District of Summerland says evacuation orders for about 400 Trout Creek properties east of Highway 97 have been rescinded, while the Central Okanagan Regional District’s emergency operations centre says orders for properties in Peachland will also come down at 6 p.m.

All those residents are now on evacuation alerts, while thousands of other properties in Summerland and the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen remain under evacuation orders imposed last weekend as the Bald Range wildfire roared west.

The District of Summerland is telling returnees to fill their gas tank, bring a minimum of three days of food and essential supplies and co-ordinate the safe return of pets and livestock.