An additional five Westside Road properties have been identified as sustaining significant damage in the Ewings Landing and Killiney areas due to the White Rock Lake wildfire, following an assessment of the two areas on Wednesday (Aug. 18).
Earlier in the week, an estimated 70 properties in the area suffered damage, while the Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB) reported that at least 10 homes and one business were destroyed, with another four homes significantly damaged.
Central Okanagan Emergency Operations said on Thursday that the centre has been working to contact property owners whose properties have been significantly damaged in the fire.
“Staff have been in touch with most property owners and will continue to notify impacted residents directly.”
READ MORE: Not safe for many White Rock Lake wildfire evacuees to come home yet: North Westside Fire Chief
Alex Van Bruksvoort, the fire chief of North Westside Fire Rescue, said that Wednesday was a day of healing, as a number of support agencies were escorted by fire crews into the area.
“Pets were rescued, areas of damage were mapped and we were able to welcome residents back to areas that were taken off evacuation order and put on alert,” he said.
BC Wildfire Service reports that the fire is burning at an estimated size of 81,139 hectares and remains out of control.
Suppression efforts continue on all flanks of the wildfire, with rank one and rank two fire behaviour observed on most flanks on Wednesday. BC Wildfire said that the most active area of the fire was along Westside Road, north of Fintry Park, where current drought conditions are already causing fuels to dry out.
READ MORE: Restriction order means no visitors to White Rock Lake wildfire area
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