iN PHOTOS: Calmness in the Central Okanagan despite wildfire emergency

It’s extremely rare for the Okanagan to be devoid of tourists on a warm, summer day – but with non-essential travel off-limits, there’s an eerie tranquility in the valley.

“There is a real quiet that has descended on the community,” West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund said at a media conference on Aug. 20. “The neighbourhoods are empty, people left when we asked them to.”

The McDougall Creek wildfire has burned 110 square kilometres and over 10,000 people were evacuated in the Central Okanagan earlier this week. 

Earlier today, many evacuation orders in Kelowna were downgraded to alerts. A map of affected properties can be found here. 

"There’s a peace and calm out there that’s been brought about because of the lack of wind and the smoke that’s there,” Brolund said. “But that peace and calm has allowed us to get out there and start hitting these hot spots and work off of these areas.”

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