A look at the number of wildfires and evacuations in B.C. | iNFOnews.ca
The McDougall Creek wildfire burns on the mountainside above houses in West Kelowna, B.C., on Friday, August 18, 2023. Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

A look at the number of wildfires and evacuations in B.C.

British Columbia remains under a state of emergency after thousands of people were evacuated from their homes because of nearby wildfires, including the blazes on either side of Lake Okanagan in the Interior. Here is a look at some of the fires in question by the numbers:

Size of Bush Creek East fire on west side of Adams Lake: 410 square kilometres

Size of MacDougall Creek fire in West Kelowna: 110 square kilometres

Size of Kookipi Creek fire near Lytton: 105 square kilometres

Estimated total number of people under evacuation orders: 30,000 or more

Estimated number of people under evacuation alerts: 36,000

Number of firefighters working in West Kelowna: 500

Population of West Kelowna: approximately 38,000 people

Number of central Okanagan properties ordered to evacuate: about 10,700

Number of central Okanagan properties on evacuation alert: about 9,500

Number of structures damaged or destroyed: "Significant"

Number of wildfires burning in B.C.: 382

Number of B.C. wildfires considered "of note" because they are highly visible or threatening public safety: 14

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2023

 

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Dan Walton

Before joining the ranks of InfoTel, Dan’s byline could be found in newspapers in Penticton, Peachland and Oliver. Prior to his arrival in the South Okanagan, he first sharpened his chops as a reporter at a radio station in Brighton, Ontario, and then newspapers in Tisdale, Saskatchewan, and Invermere B.C.
From quilting competitions to crimes against humanity, Dan isn’t afraid to cover any topic. Always seeking out the best angles - whether it’s through the lens of his camera or the voices of his Interviews – he delves into the conflict and seeks out the humanity in every story worth telling.
Dan is always happy to hear from readers. To get in touch for any reason he can be contacted at (250) 488-3065 or dwalton@infonews.ca.

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