Wildfire Near Kelowna Forces Full Closure of Highway 97
So, here's what's going on right now in the Okanagan — and it's pretty serious. A wildfire broke out today near Peachland, right along Drought Hill, which is just south of West Kelowna. It was discovered on the morning of July 30th and has already grown quickly to about five hectares in size. Because of how fast it’s developing, Highway 97 has been shut down in both directions, and so has the Okanagan Connector, Highway 97C, at the junction.
The fire is putting out massive plumes of smoke, and photos from the scene show flames burning very close to the edge of the highway — so it's definitely not safe for travel in that area right now. DriveBC and local emergency crews were quick to announce the full closure, and it’s expected to stay in place for the time being while firefighting crews work on containing the blaze.
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The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre has been activated, and both local fire departments and BC Wildfire crews are on the ground responding. So far, there haven’t been any evacuation alerts or travel restrictions beyond the road closures, but authorities are monitoring the situation closely and are urging the public to stay updated through official channels.
One important warning that’s been put out is for boaters on Okanagan Lake. Since helicopters and airtankers are using the lake to scoop water for firefighting, the RCMP and emergency responders are asking everyone to keep a safe distance and avoid interfering with those operations. Aircraft need a clear path in and out of the lake, and any obstruction could really slow down the effort to contain this fire.
The cause of the wildfire hasn’t been confirmed yet, and officials are still gathering details. What we do know is that this is just one of many fires burning across British Columbia — there are currently 59 active wildfires in the province, and eight of those have sparked in the last 24 hours alone.
So, if you're in the area — or planning to travel anywhere near West Kelowna or Peachland — stay off Highway 97 and 97C for now, and keep an eye on local alerts. Emergency crews are on it, but things can change quickly, especially with the dry conditions we've been seeing this summer.
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