Keremeos Creek wildfire: B.C. officials lift all evacuation orders, some remain on alert

Local authorities in British Columbia's Okanagan region say all evacuation orders around the so-called Keremeos Creek wildfire near Penticton have been rescinded.

Erick Thompson, an information officer for the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, says this means residents from the last 25 households still displaced by the fire have received the go-ahead to return home.

He says select properties remain on evacuation alert due to the wildfire, which is still active.

The blaze is one of five classified as “wildfires of note” by the BC Wildfire Service and has charred more than 69 square kilometres.

Hugh Murdoch, incident commander for the wildfire service, says that though the fire will continue to burn, it poses no current threat to homes and he is “very comfortable” with the crews and resources that are in place.

The Keremeos Creek fire was discovered on July 29 and forced an evacuation of more than 500 homes in the area, with the wildfire service saying its cause remains under investigation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 17, 2022.