The chief of a small rural fire department in the B.C.'s Okanagan area says 13 members of his own crew have lost their homes while fighting wildfires this season.Wilson's Landing Fire Chief Paul Zydowicz says members of the department still continued their fight to extinguish the wildfire.Their homes were among 181 destroyed around Okanagan Lake last week.Zydowicz says those who have lost their homes will be cared for by emergency support services.Much of the area in the west of the lake is still under evacuation orders.It is worth noting that there are currently about 370 wildfires active in

A travel ban has been lifted for BC's Okanagan region as wildfires subside after this week's rain.Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma announced yesterday that travel restrictions for West Kelowna have been lifted from midnight.On August 9, travel restrictions were imposed in most parts of the region.Parts of West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation and parts of Lake Country are however still under evacuation orders.Travel bans for Penticton, Vernon, Kelowna and Kamloops were lifted earlier.The Emergency Operations Center has appealed that people returning home should ensure safety.The Stein Mou

The Okanagan and Shuswap areas of British Columbia received heavy rainfall on Wednesday.BC Wildfire Service information officer Forrest Tower says about 20 millimeters of rain has fallen in the past day, which has helped the firefighters in fighting the blaze.Firefighters battling the McDougall Creek wildfire near Kelowna say the fire is coming under control due to last night's showers.Wildfires have wreaked havoc in BC's southern interior, forcing about 25,000 people to evacuate their homes.Tower says the Bush Creek East fire in the Shuswap area remains the state's top priority wildfire and 1

Firefighters in the Okanagan say heavy rain overnight has helped put out the wildfire.Thousands of people were forced to leave their homes due to this fire.Firefighters said 174 homes have been damaged by the blaze that has raged around Okanagan Lake since last Thursday.West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund says a total of 84 properties were damaged in West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation.North Westside Fire Rescue Chief Ross Kotscherofski says the rain helped put out the fire on the east side.In a wildfire update issued on Tuesday, West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund said more than 3,000

The intensity of the McDougall Creek wildfire has decreased.Dozens of evacuation orders and alerts issued in B.C.'s Okanagan Valley have been reduced.Central Okanagan Emergency Operations announced that residents of several properties within Westbank First Nation, Kelowna, West Kelowna and Lake Country can return home, but should still be prepared to leave at a moment's notice.Five properties in Kelowna were destroyed while several in Lake Country sustained exterior damage, Kelowna Mayor Tom Deas said.

Experts say that the smoke spread in Metro Vancouver due to forest fires is toxic and can cause many health problems.Burnaby's Dr. Susan Kwan says the air is full of toxins that will make it difficult for people to breathe, whether they have health problems or not.She said that air contains nitric oxide and aromatic hydrocarbons, and such elements are toxic to the body.This can cause skin irritation, eye irritation, itching, pain or irritation in the nose.Dr. Kwan says that to avoid these problems, limit your outdoor time and drink plenty of water.The smoke is expected to persist for the next

The Insurance Bureau of Canada says it may not be possible to estimate insured losses from the fires currently burning in British Columbia, however, experts say that one should start processing the insurance claims as soon as possible. .Daniel Ivans of Rates dot ca says that when filing a claim, not every detail of the damage needs to be provided right now, and relevant information can be added later.The Insurance Bureau of Canada says all standard homeowners and tenant insurance policies cover fire damage, and also provide coverage to help with mass evacuation costs.

The West Kelowna fire chief says at least 50 structures have been destroyed by the McDougal Creek fire on both sides of Okanagan Lake.Jason Brolund says the damage assessment is not complete and the status of more buildings is likely to be confirmed in the coming days.Officials, however, have said that the crew has made good progress in the last few days and no casualties have been reported in the last 24 hours.The fire is still spreading in about 11,000 hectares.Evacuation orders and alerts continue for various communities in Kelowna and West Kelowna.

Kelowna International Airport closed its airspace on Friday morning and canceled most of the flights.Flights have been canceled to make room for aerial crews battling raging wildfires burning around the city in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley.According to the airport's website, most flights in and out of Kelowna have been canceled till Friday afternoon.It is worth mentioning that the city of Kelowna in British Columbia has also come under the grip of wild fire.A state of emergency has been declared in Kelowna city.Evacuation orders have been issued to people living in Clifton Road North, Ke