West Kelowna fire crisis subsides

Press release –

Provincial resources deployed to West Kelowna wildfires.

KELOWNA – Crews from the West Kelowna fire department and BC Forest Service are working on wildfires burning at Rose Valley Dam, an estimated 150 hectares in size, and Glenrosa, estimated at 350 hectares.

The Provincial Emergency Program provides leadership and support to Local Governments and First Nations through effective coordination of resources and information prior to, during, and after emergencies and disasters.

Local governments have been working hard to battle these fires, deploying resources from all over the region, including:

• Approximately 60 structural fire fighters from the Central Okanagan Regional District fire departments and the City of Kelowna Fire Department.
• Approximately 90 people are working in the local Emergency Operations Centre.
• Local governments are putting their previously tested and exercised emergency plans into action to fight these fires.

To assist these local governments, the Province has deployed the following resources to help fight the Rose Valley Dam and Glenrosa wildfires:

• Provincial Resources on site include 206 firefighters, 20 helicopters and 10 pieces of heavy equipment including water trucks and eight air tankers. This is in addition to local firefighting personnel and assets on the ground.
• The Office of the Fire Commissioner has dispatched three structural protection units (SPUs) to West Kelowna, along with 14 personnel with specialized skills to deploy these units. SPU’s are sprinkler systems designed to protect structures from wildfire. Each unit has the capacity to keep from 50-100 homes protected.
• Twenty Emergency Social Services (ESS) volunteers are currently active with Kelowna ESS, along with one Provincial ESS staff member. An additional 12 staff are also being deployed to assist. The emergency reception centre has been moved from Royal LePage Place to Mount Boucherie Highschool which is larger and better able to accommodate evacuees’ individual needs. More ESS staff will be provided if required.
• The Office of the Fire Commissioner has deployed staff to support local Emergency Operations and fire department needs.
• The Regional Emergency Operations Centre in Kamloops and the Provincial Emergency Coordination Center in Victoria have been activated. Eight provincial employees have been deployed to help local emergency management staff in those centres through the Temporary Emergency Assignment Management System.
• The Ministry of Transportation has opened a temporary detour route for traffic under 27,000 kg GVW (gross vehicle weight) along the 201 Forest Service Road between Penticton and Highway 33 via McCulloch Road. This road is restricted to light traffic only. Vehicles in excess of 27,000 kg GVW are required to use the number highway routes only.
• Since this is a forestry road that is not normally used by a large volume of traffic, the maintenance contractor has mobilized 2 water trucks and 3 graders and has engaged the forestry contractor in the area to use their grader to reduce dust and smooth the rough patches in the roads.
• In addition, the road maintenance contractor and Ministry of Transportation staff, including Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement (CVSE) staff, are performing 24 hour road patrols.

The Interior Health Authority advises that smoke conditions and local air pollution levels can change due to the unpredictable nature of forest fires. Seniors, children and individuals with heart conditions or respiratory illnesses such as asthma or may be at increased risk and should consider reducing or re-scheduling strenuous outdoor activities. If any symptoms are noted, affected individuals should take steps to reduce their exposure to smoke and if necessary see their physician.

The Provincial Emergency Program (PEP) is a division of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Emergency Management BC. The Provincial Emergency Program supports local authorities which are the lead in emergency response situations. PEP provides effective, efficient coordination of resources and information for emergencies and disasters that cannot be handled locally. In this role, and when requested by local governments, PEP works closely with local authorities, provincial ministries and agencies, federal departments and volunteers.

For the most up to date information on the fire and relief efforts go to http://districtofwestkelowna.ca/ or http://www.kelowna.com/.

Press release
July 20, 2009
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General