Urgent Advisory Thompson Okanagan Wildfire Update
The wildfire situation in the Thompson Okanagan is, and continues to be, extremely serious.
On Friday, August 18, the Government of British Columbia declared a provincial State of Emergency to enact emergency orders, including travel restrictions to specific areas if needed.
Residents and visitors have been asked to avoid all non-essential travel to the Central Interior and Southeast parts of the province. For those who must travel, please refer to the BC Wildfire interactive map, and emergencyinfobc.ca to learn about evacuation alerts and orders.
We are working closely with our municipal, regional and provincial partners to assist emergency and wildfire responders wherever possible with the current situation. The safety of our community, local businesses, and visitors are our top priority. We ask everyone to follow the instructions of emergency responders.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected by the complex wildfires in Keremeos and Oliver, West Kelowna, Kelowna, Lake Country, and the Shuswap, Adams Lake, and Lee Creek fires, as well as the numerous additional fires that are igniting.
We also want to thank all of the firefighters, first responders, and volunteers for all that they are doing to fight the numerous blazes and keep people safe and protected.
We want to ensure you have timely information and key messages to share with your employees and guests where needed. Please see below:
From August 19 through 21 hot, dry, and windy conditions are expected around many parts of BC, leading to increased wildfire risk. Slightly cooler temperatures, thunderstorms and rain are forecasted for the days ahead in the Central Okanagan.
Residents and visitors are asked to avoid all non-essential travel to the Central Interior and Southeast parts of the province, as well as any areas that are currently under an evacuation alert or order.
If you must travel, please refer to the BC Wildfire interactive map, and emergencyinfobc.ca to learn about evacuation alerts and orders.
For those needing to re-book travel for another time, or to make alternative plans to unaffected parts of the province, Visitor Centres are available to assist.
Water access must be prioritized for fire suppression efforts. Okanagan Lake users are asked to keep boats away from areas where other aviation resources are operating.
Refrain from drone use. Drones are a significant hazard to air crews fighting fires, and it is both illegal and irresponsible to fly them in fire-affected areas.
The situation can change rapidly, and anyone traveling in BC is asked to monitor official information sources regularly, including the BC Wildfire Service and DriveBC.
Be prepared for changes and further evacuation alerts and orders.
Visitors are encouraged to download and allow notifications from Alertable: a community notification app with customizable settings to receive the latest local alerts, such as road closures and evacuation information, straight to your mobile device.
For the latest information please refer to ThompsonOkanagan.com’s Know Before You Go page.
If you need further assistance with guidance and messaging with visitors in your community or business, please reach out.