West Kelowna forest fire under control
Firefighters are getting the upper hand in their battle against the Bear Creek wildfire near West Kelowna, thanks to a lack of wind.
On Wednesday morning the fire on the west side of Okanagan Lake was 75 per cent contained and the air quality had improved enough for the Environment Ministry to lift a smoke advisory.
Firefighters who monitored the 39-hectare fire during the night were concerned the wind might kick up and push the fire over the established guards, but that didn’t happen.
About 550 residents and campers were allowed to return to the area on Tuesday afternoon. They were evacuated after the fire broke out on Monday night.
The fire risk in the Central Okanagan remains high, however.
