'We just want to go home': Evacuee overwhelmed as wildfire spreads in B.C.'s south Okanagan

Marty Marchand is one of the hundreds of Olalla, B.C. residents who were ordered to leave their homes this week because of the aggressive, out-of-control Keremeos Creek wildfire.

She packed up and left her home on Friday and said the process has been stressful and overwhelming.

"It was tough because I was OK when I left, but then afterward I sat there and I didn't even know where I was going," she said.

"It was an ugly feeling. You kind of feel like you're homeless. You don't have a place to go to," she continued.

She's staying at a motel in Princeton, B.C. – which is roughly 75 kilometres from her home -- until Wednesday. She doesn't know where she'll go after that.

"We just want to go home," she told CTV News.

Despite her emotional state, she said she would rather be safe and away from the dangers of the fire.

Evacuation orders are in place for more than 500 properties, with alerts in place for upwards of 1,000 more.

Bryan Zandberg, information officer for the BC Wildfire Service, said the blaze remained at an estimated 5,903 hectares Sunday morning.

"We are mindful of people's inconvenience and hardship out of their homes. We are trying to get folks back in," he said.

"We're trying to contain the fire. We have 381 firefighting personnel on the fire today," he added. Those crews are being supported by 16 helicopters and 43 units of heavy equipment.

But winds picked up later in the afternoon on Sunday and smoke plumes could be seen just outside the homes of nearby residents in nearby Keremeos where residents have been on edge since an evacuation alert was issued.

"We've been watching it get steadily getting closer over time. I honestly didn't think it would get this far," said Michelle Firrisi.

"We're just getting a little concerned now," she continued.

BC Liberal Leader Kevin Falcon is questioning whether the wildfire service is doing enough to respond, saying they should be using night vision tools.

"It's being utilized in neighbouring Alberta very successfully. In fact, they're bragging about it and tweeting the stories," he said

"We ought to be using it in British Columbia. Come on, BC Wildfire Service, let's put every possible technology, group and equipment to work," he added.