At least 50 structures damaged or destroyed in West Kelowna

Damage from the McDougall Creek Wildfire is just being tallied but, so far, at least 50 structures have been damaged or destroyed in West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation.

“We are not done yet and the most damaged neighbourhoods are yet to come,” West Kelowna Fire Rescue Chief Jason Brolund said at a news conference today, Aug. 21.

No structural damage was seen in the Smith Creek, Talus Ridge, Shannon Lake and Rose Valley neighbourhoods, he said.

The worst hit areas along Okanagan Lake are Traders Cove and Lake Okanagan Resort but damage did not happen further north.

It's not clear if the 50 structures damaged include these areas but Brolund said the final tally will not be less than 50.

There is a special team (Canada Task Force 1) systematically evaluating the damage but it may be days before it gets all the way up to the northern part of the fire along Okanagan Lake. It's just now moving into the more seriously damaged areas.

Crews were able to get into the Upper Bear Creek neighbourhood yesterday, Brolund said.

“A hurricane passed through there,” he said. “Trees were ripped out by their roots. The force it takes to do that is just incredible.”

Power lines are down in some areas, there are dangerous structures and trees in some areas with fire hoses, pumps and bladders scattered along roads so sprinklers can dampen houses.

Some street signs have melted and house numbers burned so it’s difficult to accurately access the damage.

BC Wildfire is now working on plans to battle the fire as it moves into wildlands areas but it is not spreading very fast and is far away from the BC Hydro power line that supplies electricity to that area.

The McDougall Creek Wildfire, along with fires in Kelowna and Lake Country are still burning out of control. There were at least five houses damaged or destroyed in Kelowna and two to three in Lake Country but all affected areas have not been fully accessed so those numbers may rise.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Rob Munro or call 250-808-0143 or email the editor. You can also submitphotos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here.