OK Falls camp evacuated

People at an Okanagan Falls campground voluntarily evacuated the site while a wildfire blazed in the hills above it.

Park manager Janice Povey said she became aware of the situation as the signs of a fire started to fill the air.

"It was probably about 10:30, and we just noticed noticed a glow in the sky," she said. "Then the smoke started to settle in and we realized we were in trouble."

people were not hesitant to leave things behind and evacuate the campsite before an evacuation notice had even been served.

"A lot of the campers went around knocking on people's doors, people were honking their horns to wake people up," she said. "I made a final pass to make sure everybody got out, and we just voluntarily left."

She described the scene as "frightening" with "lots of flame, lots of smoke," but noted that campers acted responsibly in getting out of the area.

"But everybody was awesome getting out," she said. "They literally left everything behind, they left their tents. Everybody just left."

She said people met up at the nearby IGA to watch the fire from a distance, before finding accommodations for the night.

No damage was reported at the park, which is closed until further notice.

The fire is now downgraded to a smouldering ground fire, with crews now doing "mop-up" duties.

About 75 per cent of the fire has been contained.

Photo: Dustin Godfrey