At least 50 buildings burned by wildfire in West Kelowna, B.C., officials say
CTV
West Kelowna's fire chief says at least 50 structures have been lost or damaged due to the McDougall Creek fire burning on both sides of Lake Okanagan.
Early estimates suggest wildfires burning on both sides of British Columbia's Okanagan Lake have destroyed almost 60 structures in the Kelowna area, officials said Monday.
Fire chiefs from West Kelowna, Kelowna and Lake Country said homes have been destroyed in their communities, with West Kelowna sustaining the most losses and higher numbers still expected.
“I can report today that I have a loss estimate for the neighbourhoods that we have visited,” West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund said at a news conference.
“This number is an estimate and it represents full and partial losses within the neighbourhoods,” he said. “We estimate that there's approximately 50 structures. We're not done yet and the most damaged neighbourhoods are yet to come.”
Kelowna Fire Chief Travis Whiting said five homes have been destroyed by the wildfire in his city, while Lake Country Chief Darren Lee said two to three structures were lost in his community and others have been damaged.
Ross Kotscherofski, North Westside Fire Rescue Chief, did not provide a damage estimate, but said some of his own firefighters have lost their homes and are continuing to battle the 110-square-kilometre McDougall Creek wildfire that has menaced the Kelowna area for days.
“The firefighters are there to help their neighbours,” he said.
