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Kelowna residents returning from wildfire evacuation may find neighbourhoods ‘different’

In many areas, active fire fighting occurred directly in backyards and very close to homes
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Devastating from a burn home caused by the Walroy Lake wildfire in Kelowna, Aug. 24, 2023. (Brittany Webster/Capital News)

As Kelowna residents who were evacuated because of the Walroy Lake wildfire return home, the city is cautioning that their neighbourhoods may look different from when they first left.

“In many areas, active fire fighting occurred directly in backyards and very close to homes,” reads a statement from the city. “Residents are asked to exercise caution as they return home and can find information on kelowna.ca to assist them.”

The city has made every effort to maintain operations and services through the wildfire event while maintaining public safety as the highest priority, according to the statement.

“It’s important for all residents and visitors to remember that re-opening impacted areas takes time for safety reasons and due to the size and scale of this event.”

Assessments are ongoing on a number of sites throughout Kelowna.

Information about the current impacts of the wildfire on city services, programs, and facilities can be found here, while resources for residents returning home are available by clicking here.

READ MORE: ‘Pulling together in terrifying times’: Trudeau visits wildfire impacted Okanagan

READ MORE: Area of restriction imposed for McDougall Creek wildfire


@GaryBarnes109
gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com

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Gary Barnes

About the Author: Gary Barnes

Recently joined Kelowna Capital News and WestK News as a multimedia journalist in January 2022. With almost 30 years of experience in news reporting and radio broadcasting...
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