The Emergency Operation Centre advises that effective at 11 a.m. today, the Evacuation Order for the Shelter Cove/Westside Road Fire is downgraded to an Evacuation Alert.
Westside Road will remain closed between Cinnabar Creek and La Casa Resort, except to residents and those staying in the Alert area. There will be no through traffic permitted at this time. Check points at Cinnabar Creek and La Casa will require proof of residency or rental accommodation in the Alert area, to enter to the area. For the latest road information, visit the Drive BC website at drivebc.ca
These properties will however, remain under an Evacuation Alert and residents should be prepared to leave their homes on short notice in the event that conditions change and the Evacuation Order is reinstated.
The fire has 25 per cent containment however those returning should be aware that active fire suppression continues in the area west of Westside Road. The area is not safe for the public and for safety reasons people should stay out. Visible smoke may continue rising from the fire site. Those returning may encounter various hazards on private properties as a result of the forest fire. Again, please stay out of fire-affected areas.
There is no electrical service in the area under Evacuation Alert. Lines were de-energized at the request of and for the safety of emergency services responders. BC Hydro is working to restore service as quickly as possible. This may also impact the availability of other services such as water or septic depending on the source/provider. For details on the status of electrical service visit www.bchydro.com and select the Power Outages menu option.
With the electrical service outage, those returning may have concerns for food safety. Interior Health says during a power outage, food in a fridge or freezer may not be safe to eat. ‘When in doubt, throw it out’. Specific information about Food, Water Quality, Septic Systems and Fire Retardants is available at:
www.interiorhealth.ca/YourEnvironment/EmergencyPreparedness/Pages/Forest-Fires.aspx.
The Emergency Support Services reception centre is now closed. With the lifting of the Evacuation Order allowing affected people to return, ESS advises that the referral forms issued at the reception centre will no longer be valid regardless of the expiry date.
For the most up-to-date information on emergencies in the Central Okanagan, visit cordemergency.ca.
