181 properties confirmed damaged or destroyed by wildfires in B.C.’s Okanagan region

Officials urge patience as they work to make neighborhoods safe for residents to return.
The latest on the wildfires:
The latest numbers bring the estimate of properties lost or damaged by Okanagan wildfires to 181.
The Regional District of Central Okanagan has promised a website will be created so people can check property status. Despite rain in many areas, the Fraser Canyon continues to be dry, as multiple fires threaten communities. B.C.’s emergency management minister is urging residents to leave evacuation zones and let firefighters work.
Wildfire-related travel restrictions have ended in much of B.C.’s southern Interior except for West Kelowna. After speaking with evacuees, B.C. Premier David Eby said the province can start looking at recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Learn more about how to find the full list of wildfires, highway closures, and evacuation orders and alerts. An estimated 181 properties have been partially or completely destroyed by wildfire in and around West Kelowna, B.C., officials announced Wednesday, saying residents will soon be able to check the status of their homes online.
Local fire chiefs provided the latest numbers at a news conference Wednesday morning, saying 84 properties have been damaged to some degree in West Kelowna and the Westbank First Nation, while 90 were affected in the North Westside area to the north.
Some of those properties may include multiple structures, such as the Lake Okanagan Resort.
Residents in neighbouring Kelowna were told a day earlier that structures on four properties were lost, while Lake Country saw three homes destroyed.
Officials from the Regional District of Central Okanagan promised residents will be able to check the status of their homes by entering their addresses into a new portal that will be available on the district’s website later Wednesday.
A person with long blonde hair wearing a pink hoodie looks through binoculars at the hillside dotted with homes.
In the meantime, firefighters and local government officials are asking for patience as evacuation orders are gradually lifted in the region. More evacuees are expected to be allowed home on Wednesday.
“I’m still out of my house, as is my family. I’m feeling the same thing you guys are,” West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund said.
“I’m running out of underwear too, folks.”…Source:cbc.ca/news/