A look at the number of wildfires and evacuations in B.C.

A look at the number of wildfires and evacuations in B.C. | iNFOnews.ca
A property that was destroyed by the Lower East Adams Lake wildfire is seen in Scotch Creek, B.C., on Sunday, August 20, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

British Columbia remains under a state of emergency after thousands of people were evacuated from their homes because of nearby wildfires, including the blazes on either side of Lake Okanagan in the Interior. Here is a look at some of the fires in question by the numbers:

Size of Bush Creek East fire on west side of Adams Lake: 410 square kilometres

Size of McDougall Creek fire in West Kelowna: 110 square kilometres

Size of Kookipi Creek fire near Lytton: 105 square kilometres

Estimated total number of people under evacuation orders: 30,000 or more

Estimated number of people under evacuation alerts: 36,000

Number of firefighters working in West Kelowna: 500

Population of West Kelowna: approximately 38,000 people

Number of central Okanagan properties ordered to evacuate: about 10,700

Number of central Okanagan properties on evacuation alert: about 9,500

Number of structures damaged or destroyed: “Significant”

Number of wildfires burning in B.C.: 382

Number of B.C. wildfires considered “of note” because they are highly visible or threatening public safety: 14

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2023

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