Evacuees from the Quilpituk Creek wildfire will be able to return home but the Bald Range fire has grown.

The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre announced that residents along Westside Road will be able to come home starting this morning, Aug. 14. People have to return from the south end of Westside Road from West Kelowna because the north end is still closed.

“For the Quilpituk Creek Wildfire, the evacuation orders for all properties have been downgraded to an evacuation alert, and the evacuation alerts have been lifted. Residents can return home today,” the centre said in an announcement.

In order to reduce traffic congestion residents have been asked to return in phases.

Starting at 9 a.m. residents in the Cinnabar Creek, Secret Point, Shelter Cover, Caesars Landing, and Nahun areas can return home. Then at 10 a.m. residents who live in the La Casa, Fintry, Upper Fintry, Shalal Road, Valley of the Sun, and Ewings Landing areas can return home. Finally, at 11 a.m. people who live in the Estamont Beach, Killiney Beach, and Westshore Estates areas can return home.

There is a re-entry guide for evacuees available online and at the information station at the Wilson’s Landing Fire Station.

The Quilpituk Creek fire is still listed as being held at 1,275 hectares as crews continue to mop up and fire activity decreases.

The Bradley Creek fire is also being held at 2,658 hectares. There are two evacuation alerts and two evacuation orders still in place. The north end of Westside Road is still closed due to the fire.

“At this stage, the wildfire is projected, based on fuel and weather conditions and resource availability, to remain within the current perimeter, control line or boundary,” BC Wildfire Service said in a statement.

The Bald Range fire is currently up to 19,149 hectares with eight evacuation alerts and 11 evacuation orders.

Yesterday the fire had increased activity but BC Wildfire Service is expecting better conditions today, especially if there is more cloud cover in the afternoon.

“Increased fire activity was observed in the Shingle Creek area to the west, where crews worked to hold the fire using a combination of control lines constructed by heavy equipment and water delivery systems. The fire also experienced growth in the Princeton-Summerland Road area, moving upslope to the west,” BC Wildfire said in a statement.

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