TNRD issues all clear for Grasslands (Area L) around White Rock Lake Wildfire

UPDATE 9 p.m.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has good news for a number of property owners within Electoral Area "L" (Grasslands).

The TNRD says evacuation orders issued on Aug. 5, and evacuation alerts issued on Aug. 2, 6, and 7 in Electoral Area “L” (Grasslands) have been rescinded for 397 properties.

Those orders and alerts have been downgraded to all clear meaning the threat of wildfire in the area no longer poses an imminent risk to the safety of residents.

These properties include the following addresses:

• 2 and 10 Barnhartvale Rd;
• 515 and 525 Barnhartvale Rd;
• 9760 and 9940 Barnhartvale Rd;
• 1524 to 1659 Bostock Rd;
• 792 to 797 Boysse Rd;
• 7700 and 7740 Butler Rd;
• 3461 to 5165 Campbell Range Rd;
• 815 to 4745 Chase-Falkland Rd;
• 7100 to 8360 China Valley Rd;
• 956 to 2030 Dallas Dr;
• 6265 and 6385 Dandlicker Rd;
• 4545 to 4585 Demarni Rd;
• 12480 Douglas Lake Rd;
• 1660 Duck Range Rd;
• 9140 Fraser Rd;
• 4080 to 4195 Gowan Rd;
• 789 to 1389 Hepburn Rd;
• 9052 to 9710 Hidden Vale Ranch Rd;
• 1257 to 2547 Hook Rd;
• 1893 and 1895 Kastor Rd;
• 1585 to 1620 Lance Rd;
• 4920 to 5420 Lauder Rd;
• 1528 to 1808 Laveau Rd;
• 1677 to 1685 Lute Rd;
• 4502 to 5120 Martin Creek Rd;
• 1595 to 1898 Martin Prairie Rd;
• 1534 to 1760 Monte Creek Rd;
• 4705 Moore-Richardson Rd;
• 5091 to 5127 Northcott Rd;
• 1611 Old Duck Range Rd;
• 7516 and 7520 Payne Rd;
• 4965 Pine Acres Rd;
• 4830 to 4964 Poplar Rd;
• 345 to 455 Riverwind Dr;
• 3140 to 3881 Robbins Range Rd;
• 7160 and 7200 Roche Lake Rd;
• 305 to 786 Shuswap-Chase Creek Rd;
• 4845 Sinclair Rd;
• 7154 to 7161 Skimikin Rd;
• 7000 Smith Lake FSR;
• 4220 to 4880 Stoney Flats Rd;
• 4705 Stoney Pl;
• 4550 to 7260 Trans-Canada Hwy;
• 5645 to 5649 VLA Rd;
• 4570 to 4621 Wildwood Rd;
• 5011 to5031 Willow Rd; and

Click here for a map of the affected region.

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UPDATE 8 p.m.

More evacuation orders have been lifted around the White Rock Lake Wildfire.

The latest issued by the Thompson-Nicola Regional District.

A portion of an evacuation order issued for Electoral Area “L” (Grasslands) has been downgraded to an evacuation alert for the following 76 addressed properties:

• 3864 to 4425 Chase-Falkland Rd;
• 6265 to 6325 Eden Rd;
• 6828 to 6910 Faulk Rd;
• 6459 to 6780 Karjula Rd;
• 3880 to 3946 Maddox Rd;
• 6725 to 6888 Martin Prairie Rd;
• 4139 to 4523 Moser Rd;
• 6585 to 6940 Paxton Valley Rd;
• and any other properties identified on the TNRD map.

An evacuation order may need to be reissued. If that is deemed necessary, the evacuation order process will re-commence.

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UPDATE 5:45 p.m.

Residents of Falkland, ordered out of their homes last Wednesday due to the fast-moving White Rock Lake Wildfire, are now able to return home.

Later Monday afternoon, the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District, on advice from the BC Wildfire Service, partially rescinded evacuation orders around the fire.

As of 5 p.m. Monday, several areas, including the town of Falkland, are able to return to their homes. Those properties now revert to evacuation alert.

The areas downgraded from evacuation order to alert include:

• 6547 - 6899 Six Mile Creek Road
• Falkland including all properties along Chase-Falkland Road to Joyce Lake
• Cedar Hill area

The evacuation order remains in place for the area around Pinaus Lake.

Previous evacuation alert areas are rescinded for:

• the hills west of and above Yankee Flats Road, north to Spa Creek
• Glenemma
• Silver Creek
• Yankee Flats
• Deep Creek

People returning home should pay attention to any directions from local authorities, walk the perimeter of your property and take note of out-of-place wiring, gas smells or loose debris, enter your home carefully and check the main power breaker, document any damage, throw out any food or drinks which may have gone bad since your departure.

A list of the impacted addresses is here.

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UPDATE 4:25 p.m.

The Regional District of Central Okanagan has partially downgraded White Rock Lake fire evacuation orders on Westside Road.

Orders have been replaced with alerts for La Casa Lakeside Resort, Fintry, Upper Fintry and Shalal Road and properties north of and including 6409 Westside Road to La Casa. Properties to the north of that point remain on evacuation order.

An interactive map of evacuation order and alert areas is here.

The regional district has also scaled back the evacuation alert area to south of La Casa. It previously stretched all the way to north of Traders Cove.

“Returning residents should be aware electricity was off from Friday evening until BC Hydro was able to restore electrical service yesterday afternoon,” CORD said.

“Residents should consider potential food safety, water and sewage disposal issues related to the loss of power during a wildfire. Interior Health has information residents may consider to stay food safe and urge ‘When in doubt, throw it out,’”

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UPDATE: 2:43 p.m.

The Township of Spallumcheen has rescinded its evacuation alert for the entire township.

However, resident are still being advised to ensure they have all required emergency planning in place for their home and family.

BC Wildfire Service still has the White Rock Lake wildfire listed at 55,700 hectares in size.

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UPDATE 10:25 a.m.

The BC Wildfire Service says the White Rock Lake wildfire remained stalled overnight by cooler temperatures.

In an update Monday morning, the agency said there was mostly rank 1 and 2 fire activity throughout the blaze on Sunday. In the southeast and northeast, there was some rank 3 activity.

BCWS ranks fire activity on a six point scale, with six being the most vigorous.

On Monday crews are expecting a high of 24 C and light winds, 5-10 km/h, along Okanagan Lake. Crews are now pushing to make progress in containing the fire as the weather gradually turns against them.

“The ridge of high pressure builds steadily through the week supporting sunny skies, rising temperatures and dropping relative humidity,” BCWS said.

Gusty northwest winds develop Tuesday and increase Wednesday as temperatures approach mid 30s by Friday.

On the east flank above Westside Road, crews are continuing along the fire perimeter and direct attacking using water and hand ignitions to tie in lines and secure the perimeter.

A secondary control line is also being built from Salmon River FSR to Okanagan Lake.

In the south, crews are building a control line from Beautiful Road heading east.

“This control line will serve as a contingency line south of the fire perimeter and will be established using a combination of forest service roads, lakes, and pre-existing machine guards. Personnel will also be patrolling the fire perimeter to assess whether there have been any areas where the fire has crossed containment lines,” BCWS said.

Containment efforts are also ongoing on the other flanks of the fire.

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ORIGINAL 4 a.m.

The BC Wildfire Service is pushing hard Monday at the White Rock Lake wildfire, racing to build containment and guards around the monster blaze as the weather gradually turns back against them this week.

After explosive growth and destruction late last week, cooler weather and rain allowed fire crews to get their feet under them and spent all day Sunday pushing on all flanks of the fire.

A skimmer group worked the fire near Westside Road on Sunday evening and reported “low to moderate” surface fire. Ground crews and structural protection teams were also at work. There was no significant growth anywhere on the fire all day.

On the northern edge of the fire, crews are working to construct a guard along the eastern side of the northern finger of the fire to prevent it from growing towards Pinaus Lake and Falkland. Ground crews are also working on a guard to stop further spread towards Paxton valley and beyond.

BCWS said Sunday evening those lines would be complete in 48 hours.

Temperatures in Vernon are expected to stay below 30 C on Monday, but will gradually creep higher towards 33 C by the end of the week.

Construction of guards and direct attacks on the fire are also taking place on the northwest flank, in the Foley Road areas.

In the south, crews are working to hold lines along Beautiful Road with the possibility of of small-scale ignitions if conditions are favourable.

The White Rock Lake wildfire has the largest contingent of firefighters battling it in the province. There are 155 wildland firefighters, 125 structural firefighters, 16 helicopters, eight danger tree fallers, 38 pieces of heavy equipment and logistics and support staff on site.

Due to the fire burning across jurisdictional boundaries, evacuation alerts and order remain in place from several different local governments and First Nations.