UPDATE: 1:50 p.m.

Peachland's mayor says gusting winds have begun to pick up in town, and strong winds are expected into the evening. 

"We can already see them coming in bursts," Cindy Fortin posted to Facebook.

While she says the wildfires have been calmer today than last night, leading to the downgrading of the evacuation order of three homes, "things can change with the winds."

While the District of Peachland is under a local of state of emergency, Fortin clarified this doesn't necessarily mean the situation is critical in Peachland, but it allows crews to access areas otherwise not allowed in the event of an emergency. 

UPDATE: 11:55 a.m.

Some much-needed good news has come out of the Mount Eneas wildfire Friday morning, as residents from the three homes evacuated near Peachland Thursday night are being allowed to return home.

The three homes on Log Chute Road were put on evacuation order at about 11 p.m. Thursday after the Munro Lake wildfire moved close to residences. Hundreds more homes in the surrounding area were placed on evacuation alert as well. 

Friday morning, the Central Okanagan Regional District Emergency Operations Centre changed the evacuation orders to alerts, meaning residents can return home for the time being. 

The EOC says it was a positive night on the fire line despite the heavy winds, and the wildfires remain stable this morning. 

Currently, 41 properties remain on evacuation alert and 656 homes are on alert in the Central Okanagan Regional District. An additional 43 homes remain evacuated to the south of the blaze, in the Garnet Valley area. 

UPDATE: 10:30 a.m.

As of Friday morning, the BC Wildfire Service says the Mount Eneas wildfire is still burning an area of 1,000 hectares, despite the heavy winds overnight. 

One crew will be working to build hand guards on the southern flank of the fire, near the Garnet Valley area, while another will be working on the north flank. 

The BCWS says they've had heavy winds blow up at about 6 p.m. on previous days, making flying conditions hazardous. This has prompted earlier starts for airtankers and helicopters. 

Forty firefighters are working the large blaze today, and additional resources have been requested. Helicopters are expected to be bucketing the fire today, and airtankers are on standby.

UPDATE: 10:00 a.m.

There are concerns Friday the Mount Eneas wildfire, last pegged at 1,000 hectares, could combine with other fires burning to the north.

Noelle Kekula, fire information officer, says they have fire crews flying over the area this morning, to assess what's happened overnight, but she says “there is a potential” the Mount Eneas blaze could combine with the Munro Lake fire.

Strong winds through the evening kicked up the fires in the area, and the growing Munro Lake fire forced the evacuation of three homes west of Antlers Beach and put hundreds more on evacuation alert.

“We're using every resource we can to go after all of them within this complex area,” Kekula said.

ORIGINAL: 6:55 a.m.

The fire causing the most concern right now is the Mount Eneas fire near Peachland which swelled to over 1,000 hectares yesterday.

It may soon combine with another nearby fire, the Munro Lake wildfire, to make an even bigger blaze.  Evacuations for both those fires have been expanded.

The fire is encroaching on Peachland which has declared a state of local emergency and some 1500 residents of Peachland are now on evacuation alert.

Most of the 600 or so properties are south of Princeton Avenue east to Highway 97.  Several other properties in the Peachland area are on evacuation order this morning.  The latest to be evacuated are properties on Log Chute Road.

The Mount Eneas fire is moving south as well, causing more concern as it moves toward Summerland and the Garnet Valley, where several properties are already evacuated with residents there reporting to the evacuation centre at the Penticton Community Hall, a reception centre is also operating in Summerland at the Summerland Arena.

Photo: Martin Weilmeier

The Munro Lake wildfire burning near the south end of Peachland Thursday night.