The residents of Vernon experienced a rollercoaster of events on Sunday when a wildfire sparked south of the Okanagan city.
Dubbed the Boltres Creek fire and first spotted on August 17, the blaze led to the evacuation of around 20 properties and the temporary closure of Highway 97.
However, the situation quickly took a positive turn when the City of Vernon lifted the evacuation order and reopened the highway on the same day.
City officials assured residents, stating, “The Boltres Creek Wildfire is now stable with no further growth. Those who were evacuated can safely return to their homes.”
According to the BC Wildfire Service, the fire is currently contained at 103 hectares. At present, there are a total of 79 active wildfires across British Columbia.
The most significant among them is the Mount Underwood fire on Vancouver Island, which has expanded to over 36 square kilometers and remains uncontained.