INFORMATION RELEASE                                                                                                         

A reminder, if you are under an Evacuation ORDER, you must leave the area immediately.
Residents and visitors are reminded to avoid all areas under Evacuation ORDER due to the threat to life safety. Remaining in areas under an Evacuation ORDER poses a danger to you and firefighting crews. This includes residents who may choose to leave the area if conditions worsen. This is especially dangerous during aerial operations and planned ignitions.

BC Wildfire Service planned ignitions: Thursday, August 3, 2023
Residents who have chosen to ignore the Evacuation ORDER are asked to stay clear of personnel in the field to allow them to conduct operations.

Information from BC Wildfire Service:

Ignitions were completed along the west flank on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, between Nighthawk Road, up to Frank Lake area. If conditions remain favourable, BC Wildfire Service will proceed with the remaining ignitions on Thursday, August 3, 2023.

Traffic control has been coordinated for Highway 3 and one lane will be closed during the operations for personnel safety.

For further information, please visit BCWildfire.com.

Emergency Support Services (ESS)
The ESS receptioncentre in Oliver will be moved to the Sonora Community Centre (8505 68 Avenue, Osoyoos). The ESS new reception centre is scheduled to open on Friday, August 4, 2023, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

If you require support, including food or lodging, please contact Emergency Support Services (ESS) at 250-486-1890. You can register online at ess.gov.bc.ca.

Call for volunteers
During emergencies, trained volunteers from across the region respond to assist residents in need.
If you would like to share your time and talents, please email ess@rdos.bc.ca or call  250-486-1890 for more information.

BC Wildfire Camp at Keogan Sports Park in Okanagan Falls
Due to the presence of firefighting crews at Keogan Sports Park (1525 Cedar St.) in Okanagan Falls, residents and visitors will notice increased activity in the area. Vehicle access is currently restricted to local traffic only on the south end of Cedar Street adjacent to Keogan Park. Please avoid this area to allow crews safe access and egress to the site. Public access to the north end of Keogan Park is permitted. Thank you for your cooperation.

Evacuation ORDER issued for Osoyoos Wildlife Federation

On Wednesday, August 2, 2023, the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Emergency Operations Centre (RDOS EOC) issued an Evacuation ORDER for the Osoyoos Wildlife Federation, 14000 Strawberry Creek Road in Electoral Area “A”. The Order remains in place.

Watercraft and Drones
Watercraft can create safety issues from helicopters and planes accessing water from lakes. BC Wildfire and the RCMP have lines of communication and any issues arising from boaters on the lake are reported to the RCMP for investigation. Drones are not permitted to be flown near an active wildfire as they pose a risk to low flying aircraft. Residents and visitors are asked to be aware and not interfere with fire fighting efforts.

Update to Evacuation ALERTS and ORDERS
Please check the interactive map to confirm the status of your property: emergency.rdos.bc.ca

The Evacuation Alert is RESCINDED for properties East of Highway 97 in Osoyoos and areas within the RDOS south of the Town of Osoyoos.

Please monitor official sources for the latest updates.

• emergency.rdos.bc.ca
• osoyoos.ca
• BCWildfire.com
• DriveBC.ca

• Welcome Back residents impacted by Eagle Bluff wildfire
• RDOS Evacuation ALERT tips
• RDOS Evacuation ORDER tips

Areas remaining on Evacuation ORDER:

• The Osoyoos Industrial Park in the Town of Osoyoos
• All properties south of Highway 3 from the Town of Osoyoos boundaries to Nighthawk Road in Electoral Area “B”
• Parts of Electoral Areas “A” and “B” including the Kilpoola and Spotted Lake areas south of Highway 3

Properties under Evacuation ALERT and ORDER current as of August 3, 2023, 10:00 am:

• RDOS properties on Evacaution ALERT: 482
• RDOS properties on Evacaution ORDER: 144

• Osoyoos properties on Evacuation ALERT: 487
• Osoyoos properties on Evacuation ORDER: 48

For the latest updates on Evacuation ALERTS and ORDERS, please visit emergency.rdos.bc.ca.

Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
For the latest updates on local highways, visit DriveBC.ca.

Voyent Alert! Notifications
Click here to register for routine and emergency notifications via email, text, or telephone.

You can also find a link to Voyent Alert! on the RDOS website: www.rdos.bc.ca. For further information, please call the EOC at 250-490-4225. In the case of an emergency, call 9-1-1.

FireSmart
Whether you are doing regular yard maintenance or making large scale changes during renovations or landscaping, you can make choices that will help protect your home from wildfire. 

For more information, please visit RDOS Community FireSmart at:  https://firesmart.rdos.bc.ca

Disaster Psychosocial Team
If you require support, please call the Disaster Psychosocial Team toll-free at 1-888-686-3022 or Wellness Together Canada at 1-866-585-0445.

Issued by EOC Director

BC Wildfire Camp at Keogan Sports Park in Okanagan Falls

Photo: RDOS