British Columbia Wildfire: Torrential Rains Aid In Putting Out Flames

Torrential rains in British Columbia had helped firefighters to put out wildfires in the province, which had prompted the evacuation of thousands of individuals.

North Westside Fire Rescue Department Chief Ross Kotscherofski welcomed the rains as this had helped them mop out the blaze that had hit British Columbia in the past weeks.

He noted that around 90 properties in his firefighting region were damaged or destroyed.

It was earlier reported that around 34,000 residences in British Columbia have been placed under evacuation alert as wildfires threaten the area.

Extent of wildfire damage

So far, the estimated number of properties that were damaged or lost because of the wildfires in Okanagan already climbed to 181.

Local fire officials also said that 84 properties have been damaged to some degree in West Kelowna as well as in the Westbank First Nation, while 90 others have been affected in the North Westside area to the north.

The Regional District of Central Okanagan also launched a website in order to help evacuees check their property status.

Weather experts said that parts of the Okanagan and several other regions located in the southern British Columbia experienced significant amount of rain on Tuesday night.

With these cooler temperatures and higher humidity in the past days as well as the change in weather conditions, firefighting personnel are being able to mitigate the more than 370 fires burning across the province.

Among the areas was the Adams Lake wildfire in the Shuswap region, which was burning northeast of Kamloops.

Travel restrictions end

Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, also announced the lifting of travel restrictions.

Ma said that the emergency order that they put in place over the weekend has had the effect that they need as thousands of hotel rooms were made available for people who were forced to evacuate from their homes, as well as a number of firefighters and emergency crews who are protecting the public during the worst wildfire season in British Columbia's history.

The official said that as they continue to work with local governments and other nations, they will still place people in the accommodations that have been made available.

"Because of this, we are lifting travel restrictions for the purpose of staying in temporary accommodation for most of the southern Interior, with the exception of West Kelowna. The order will be lifted for Kelowna, Kamloops, Oliver, Osoyoos, Penticton and Vernon starting tomorrow, Aug. 23," Ma said in a statement.

"Non-essential travel to West Kelowna continues to be prohibited for the purpose of staying in temporary accommodation, including hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, hostels, RV parks, and campgrounds, to ensure accommodation is available for those who may need it," Ma added.

Meanwhile, Ma cautioned those who plan to travel to British Columbia to avoid the fire-affected communities, adding that travelers should listen to the direction of local communities and pay respect and follow emergency orders and alerts.

The Canadian government has since vowed to continue supporting Canadians as all departments of government work together during the 2023 wildfire season.

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