Interior Health returning patients, care home residents to Penticton

More people are returning to Penticton as the threat of the Christie Mountain wildfire fades.

When the fire was at its height, Interior Health moved long term care residents to other spaces around the Central Interior and moved Intensive Care Unit patients to Kelowna General Hospital. Those people will all be returned to Penticton.

The hospital initiated an emergency response that included hospital evacuations last week in anticipation of the wildfire, which threatened properties in the South Okanagan.

The hospital is returning to normal operations following lifting of an evacuation alert and the diminished threat posed by the wildfire to Penticton.

"Evacuations and alerts are stressful for everyone impacted by wildfires and this year, COVID-19 makes our planning even more complex and challenging to navigate,” President and Chief Executive Officer, Interior Health, Susan Brown said. “Thank you to everyone in the community for coming together to support one another and to all of our incredible staff and physicians who put precautionary measures in place to ensure we were prepared for the worst.” 

Interior Health says a process is underway to bring all patients and residents who were temporarily relocated home to Penticton as required.

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