INFORMATION RELEASE                                                                                                         

The Evacuation Orders issued by the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Emergency Operations Centre (RDOS EOC) and the Town of Osoyoos EOC have been RESCINDED to Alerts as of 4:00 pm PT on Tuesday, August 8, 2023.

The Evacuation Alerts issued by the RDOS and the Town of Osoyoos have been RESCINDED to all clear.

Areas remaining on Evacuation ALERT

• Two properties within the Town of Osoyoos, south of the Osoyoos Industrial Park
• Parts of Electoral Areas “A” and “B” including the Kilpoola and Spotted Lake areas south of Highway 3

Properties under Evacuation ALERT as of August 8, 2023, 4:00 pm

• RDOS: 132 (properties on Evacuation Alert prior to 4:00 pm: 494)
• Osoyoos: 2 (properties on Evacuation Alert prior to 4:00 pm: 66)

• Welcome Back letter
• BCWS re-entry FAQ Eagle Bluff (K52318)
• RDOS Evacuation ALERT tips

Emergency Support Services (ESS)
If you have questions about ESS, please call 250-486-1890.

Animal Lifeline Emergency Response Team
Pet owners and hobby farmers with concern for their animals may contact ALERT (Animal Lifeline Emergency Response Team) for assistance: 250-809-7152

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.

Thank you to all the volunteers who donated their time and talents to help those in need.

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

Highway 3
Motorists are advised to drive with caution along Highway 3, in both directions, between Old Richter Pass Rd and Lambert Crt for 6.9 km due to the Eagle Bluff wildfire.

• Watch for speed reduction signs and fire crews
• Limited visibility with smoke
• Expect delays
  

Stay out of the backcountry around the Eagle Bluff wildfire
Due to ongoing operations and wildfire hot spots, please DO NOT enter the backcountry in Electoral Area “A” (Rural Osoyoos) from Kilpoola south to the U.S. border until further notice. Crews are working behind rural homes in the vicinity of the Eagle Bluff wildfire. Signs are posted in the area. Thank you for your cooperation.

What hazards remain on an active wildfire?

The Eagle Bluff wildfire is still an active wildfire and work site. This means the following hazards may be present:

• Heavy equipment and chainsaw operators: Heavy equipment and chainsaw operators can’t hear or see you when operating equipment. Never approach a running machine or an area where a chainsaw operator is working.
• Ash pits:  Deep, intensely burning stumps and tree roots may result in hot ashpits underground that can lead to severe burns if you step or fall into one.
• Falling trees: Drought and burnt-out tree roots cause unstable trees that may fall at any time, especially if it’s windy.

For the safety of you and firefighters, please stay clear.

Please monitor official sources for the latest updates

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

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.

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 firefighting efforts.

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.

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

Issued by EOC Director