Huge wildfire blankets southern British Columbia, forces thousands to leave home

The fight against wildfires raging around Lake Okanagan has turned a corner after days of destruction, fire officials were reported to say yesterday with all evacuation orders and alerts in the southern interior remaining in place.

With more than 380 active wildfires burning in B.C., the communities of Scotch Creek and Celista on the north shore of Shuswap Lake, a popular tourist destination about 150 kilometres north of Kelowna have been ravaged by the fires.

While smoke is blanketing much of the province, prompting air quality advisories and special weather statements, it’s also reducing the sun’s intensity, which helps the fight against wildfires, said Travis Whiting, the fire chief in Kelowna, B.C.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)