INFORMATION RELEASE                                                                                                         

BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) Information

BC Wildfire – Crater Creek (K52125)

Current RDOS Evacuation Alerts and Orders

Please visit emergency.rdos.bc.ca or enter your address in the Interactive Map.

Current Information
With increased winds expected on Thursday, August 17, 2023, the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Emergency Operations Centre (RDOS EOC) is recommending residents and property owners in the Similkameen and all areas of the Regional Distict, take the following steps:

• Prepare an emergency grab and go kit
• Consider options to stay with friends and family outside the area
• Conduct a last-minute FireSmart checklist 

Due to the threat of wildfire across British Columbia, now is the time to get prepared to leave your home on short notice.

What to do when an Evacuation Alert is issued

Please monitor official information sources for the latest updates.

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

Please conserve water
Property owners on water systems are asked to conserve water on your property. Too much residential watering will drain reservoirs and limit the ability for crews to fight fires

• Watering from residential hoses is not an effective way to reduce fire risk on your property
• Check the last minute Fire Smart checklist for effective actions property owners can take to protect your home

Wildfire Smoke and Your Health
Interior Health Authority is reminding residents and visitors of the health concerns due to wildfire smoke. Please click the link below for more information.

How to protect yourself from wildfire smoke (interiorhealth.ca)

Video Update
The RDOS EOC is planning to host a video update on Friday, August 18, 2023, at 2:00 pm. Video updates are available on the RDOS YouTube channel. Please monitor RDOS web and social media channels for the latest updates.

Emergency Reception Centre
The  Emergency Reception Centre in Keremeos is now closed. Residents under Evacuation Order can call Emergency Support Services (ESS) at 250-486-1890 for ESS Services. If you are on an Evacuation Alert or Order, or if you have been displaced from your home due to an emergency, please self-register for ESS. Evacuee Registration & Assistance (ERA): ess.gov.bc.ca

If you have questions about evacuees, please call the RDOS Emergency Operations Centre at 250-490-4225.

Evacuation Orders And Alerts
The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Emergency Operations Centre (RDOS EOC) Evacuation ORDER for the Ashnola Rd and Cathedral Lake Park remains in effect for RDOS properties. The RDOS is in communication and is coordinating efforts with the Lower Similkameen Indian Band (LSIB).

An Evacuation ALERT remains in effect for 74 properties along Ashnola Rd, River Rd and Highway 3 near the Red Bridge area west of the Village of Keremeos.

For the latest updates on RDOS Evacuation Alerts and Orders, please visit emergency.rdos.bc.ca.

Checkpoint on Ashnola Road
Checkpoints have been set up along Ashnola Road in conjunction with the Lower Similkameen Indian Band (LSIB). Please avoid the Red Bridge area. Motorists along Highway 3 are asked to drive with caution and avoid stopping.

Animal Lifeline Emergency Response Team
If you are in an area under an Evacuation Alert, please make arrangements to relocate animals or livestock. Contact ALERT (Animal Lifeline Emergency Response Team) for assistance: 250-809-7152.

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.

Issued by EOC Director