During Monday morning's press conference, Kelowna Fire Chief Travis Whiting said they've confirmed five homes have been destroyed by the fire, which was sparked Friday morning in the Clifton Road area.
“Our damage and structural loss was really in one specific area with approximately five homes in that area. We've had no other structural loss in the area that we've been able to find, but there are other areas that we need to look at.”
While he didn't specify the location of the losses, homes are believed to have burned west of the Kelowna landfill, across Glenmore Road.
Whiting said they're working to connect with the homeowners of the destroyed homes.
During Monday's press conference, all fire chiefs in the region noted the subdued fire behaviour continued Sunday and overnight, as cooler temperatures, higher humidity and calm winds have resulted in a much more manageable wildfire behaviour.
“Things look good and I'm really happy with the progress that was made,” Whiting said.“We are hitting hard around the perimeter, working diligently to go step by step to ensure that the perimeter of this fire is cool and cold and not able to spread beyond where it is.
“That being said, we do have active flame in some neighbourhoods that we are managing, it's not a high risk.”
Whiting doesn't expect any of the Kelowna evacuation orders that are currently in place to be downgraded in the next 24 hours.
“I don't feel we have a significant threat in any one area by any means, but we do need to operationally keep moving resources around and making sure it's safe before we start to safely reestablish and get people back into their community,” Whiting said, adding that getting people back into their homes is one of their top priorities.
In a morning update, the BC Wildfire Service says crews were placed below Clifton Road to extinguish some “rolling burning debris” on steep slopes in the area, and a 20-foot wet line was installed there. Crews continue to “direct attack” the fire Monday, focusing on the northwest and southern flanks to stop any growth.
Jerrad Schroeder with the BC Wildfire Service said the biggest challenge being faced over the past 24 hours is thick smoke across the Valley that's challenged the use of aerial support on the three fires.
There remains close to 10,000 properties under evacuation order across the Central Okanagan Monday, due to the three wildfires burning in West Kelowna, Kelowna and Lake Country. Sunday, the evacuation orders for UBC Okanagan and Quail Ridge were downgraded to alerts, meaning those residents can return home.
