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Flying embers travelled upwards of 2.5 kilometres across Okanagan Lake this past August during the McDougall Creek wildfire, according to preliminary findings of a new study, sparking the fire in Kelowna that led to the destruction of several homes and the evacuation of thousands of people.
The Vancouver Sun reports that a study undertaken by FPInnovations, commissioned by FireSmart BC and the BC Wildfire Service, has determined falling embers from the McDougall Creek wildfire were the primary mechanism which sparked the fire on the east side of Okanagan Lake, on the evening of Aug. 17, 2023.
While this information comes from the report's preliminary findings, which was viewed by the Vancouver Sun, the final report is expected to be released next month.
The study involved the examination of many wildfire sites across the Interior, including in the Central Okanagan and Shuswap regions, between August and November, including 107 burned structure.
The preliminary report says that in one instance, embers from the McDougall Creek fire landed in the Bear Creek valley area, sparking new fires that grew to 2.5 times the size of a football field within two to five minutes.
The report also says embers ignited dried vegetation like junipers and cedars that were near homes, leading to the destruction of buildings. Homes' roofing, siding, decks, fences and things like patio furniture were the first things to ignite in many instances.
But homes that had taken FireSmart measures, like removing flammable items from around homes, had better survival rates that those that hadn't.
More than 350 structures were destroyed or damaged during wildfires in the Central Okanagan and Shuswap areas last summer. More than 10,000 homes were evacuated over several weeks.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada estimated the fires in the Okanagan and Shuswap alone caused $720 million in insured damage. That makes it the tenth most costly disaster in recent Canadian history.
Castanet will report on the study further when it's publicly released next month.
