Provincial Order: Accommodation Travel Restrictions for Southern Interior Areas
To help ensure accommodation is available for critical-response personnel and the tens of thousands of people evacuated due to wildfires, the Province of BC is restricting travel for the purpose of staying in temporary accommodation in several communities in the Thompson Okanagan region.
The Province introduced a new order under the provincial state of emergency. Under this order, effective August 19 until end of day on September 4, 2023, people may not travel to stay in temporary accommodations for non-essential purposes in several Thompson Okanagan communities. This includes hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, hostels, RV parks, and campgrounds.
This order applies to temporary accommodation in the following cities:
Kelowna-West Kelowna;
Kamloops;
Oliver;
Osoyoos;
Penticton; and
Vernon.
The order does not impact travel through to other regions, but the Province is calling on everyone to avoid non-essential travel to the central Interior and southeast to ensure roadways are kept clear for emergency-response operations, including further evacuations. People should check information from the BC Wildfire Service, EmergencyInfoBC, and DriveBC before heading out.
Essential travel includes:
providing emergency or critical services;
sheltering for evacuees;
travelling for health or medical reasons;
transporting essential goods and supplies;
attending court or complying with a court order;
attending a funeral service;
avoiding the risk of abuse or violence;
exercising parental responsibilities;
moving or assisting with moving to a different principal residence;
carrying out a temporary work-related purpose, including volunteer work;
attending classes or training; and
exercising an Aboriginal or treaty right.
Read the Order: https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/mo/mo/m0243_2023