Highway 33 will remain closed overnight between Gallaghers Road in Kelowna and Big White Road as crews continue to fight the Philpott Road wildfire.
If people must travel a detour is available around the closure, for non-commercial passenger vehicles only, via McCulloch Road. Information about the highway closure and detour route is available on the Drive BC website www.drivebc.ca.
The latest BC Wildfire Service estimate pegs the blaze at 380-hectares. There’s no change in the previously issued evacuation rder affecting about 1,100 people from 474 properties.
Emergency Support Services volunteers are helping evacuated residents at the reception centre in Willow Park Church at 439 Highway 33 West in Kelowna.
The centre will remain open until 10:00 tonight and will reopen at 10:00 tomorrow morning.
BC Wildfire ground and air crews are working along the firelines and structural fire crews from Central Okanagan fire departments in Joe Rich, Ellison, Kelowna, Lake Country and Peachland are on the ground.
As well, crews from 10 fire departments from throughout the Central and Southern interior are supporting the ground level structural fire fight.
