Additional evacuations order

CASTANET: Contributed - Aug 1, 2009 / 8:46 pm
The Emergency Operation Centre has issued an Evacuation Order for the approximately 1,500 residents in the Caesar’s Short Notice and Wilson’s Landing – Trader’s Cove Evacuation Areas and the district lots off South Terrace Main. This order means residents should immediately leave their homes and travel south along Westside Road and register with the Emergency Social Services reception centre at Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary School, 2751 Cameron Road in West Kelowna. Volunteers are on hand to assist these people with food and group lodging accommodation. With the long weekend there are no hotel rooms available tonight for any evacuated residents.

The communities affected by this new Evacuation Order are:

• Caesar’s Landing
  
• Nahun
  
• Shelter Cove
  
• District lots off South Terrrace Main
  
• Wilson’s Landing
  
• Trader’s Cove
  
• Bear Creek Main to Bear Lake
  
• Bear Creek Provincial Park.

Late this afternoon, an Evacuation Order was enacted affecting approximately 1,200 residents in the Fintry, Upper Fintry, Muirallen Estates, Valley of the Sun and La Casa resort. They are also reporting to the Emergency Social Services reception centre. This is an Important Road update for evacuated residents. RCMP advise all residents of La Casa Resort and the previously evacuated areas tonight in Fintry Delta, Upper Fintry, Valley of the Sun and Muirallen Estates to head north on Westside Road, travelling through Vernon, Lake Country and Kelowna to the ESS reception centre at Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary School, 2751 Cameron Road in West Kelowna. All residents south of La Casa Resort should drive south along Westside Road to report to the Emergency Social Services reception centre at Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary, 2751 Cameron Road in West Kelowna.

RCMP assisted by members of Vernon Search and Rescue have started going door to door in the areas affected by the Evacuation Orders to advise people that they should leave their homes. People concerned about their animals are asked to call 250-809-7152 (Critter Aid/CDART) or 250-770-0197 (Dean Environmental). Representatives will be available to assist evacuated residents at the reception centre. Anyone who can provide temporary accommodation for one or two nights to evacuated residents is asked to go to the Emergency Social Services reception centre at Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary School, 2751 Cameron Road in West Kelowna and speak to an ESS volunteer.

As well, ten properties in the Fintry High Farm area are still on Evacuation Order. Approximately 13 residents are affected. Residents and visitors to Westside Road communities from the Killiney and Westshore/Beau Park area in the north remain on Alert. These alerts affect an estimated 2,163 people who must be prepared to leave on a moment’s notice should the fire threat increase. A map with the complete list of communities and their status will available on the Regional District website www.regionaldistrict.com and clicking on the Terrace Mountain Fire icon. General Information is also available by contacting the Call Centre at 250-469-8490.