Hot, Dry Conditions a Challenge on Kelowna Fire
Prince George, B.C. – The BC Wildfire Service says the heat and flare-ups posed challenges on the Philpott Road wildfire east of Kelowna on Saturday.
Most of the activity was inside the existing fire boundaries and crews managed to
contain 20 percent of the 465 hectare fire while strengthening a guard along the north flank.
Evacuation orders and alerts affecting 1,100 people remained in effect overnight but Highway 33 was opened to single lane, alternating, piloted traffic. Resident were advised that they must respect roadblocks and other closures and exercise caution when driving near people who are working near roadways.
There is good news as FortisBC reports that 435 customers have had their power restored, with crews working to re-establish service to another 45 properties on Philpott Road.
The Emergency Support Services reception centre at Willow Park Church will be open from 12:30 to 5 pm today. Those under an evacuation order are to report to the centre.
And the Red Cross is providing up to $600 financial assistance per household for residents affected by the Philpott Road fire. The Red Cross can be reached at 1-800-863-6582.
Cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Comments
I seen on National News of people wanting to go to their homes to water animals etc, fire not near their place, not allowed. REALLY. After people are evacuated, after they leave the electric company turns off the power as a precaution, so your fridge & deepfreeze will be rotten for sure in their absence. After buying a new appliance BUT can they get that rotten smell our of your house
what?
As long as the fridge/freezer stays closed there will not or be very little smell as the door seal is very effective
As to the power I don’t know where you got the idea power is shut off as unless it is immediately lifethreatening or in danger of damaging property or lines are damaged by fire the power is not shut off
There is a difference between hydro being shut off intentionally and hydro being disrupted because fires have damaged utility poles, transformers, etc.
The following is a BCHydro page that explains it further.
bchydro.com/news/conservation/2017/wildfire-update1-july-2017.html
As far as smell goes, it generally stays in the refrigerated unit unless the gaskets are damaged.
The food may end up being unusable, depending on which hey are and how long the power was off.
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Returning home and food safety
We’ve received questions from communities and customers regarding the safety of food in fridges and freezers after possible power outages. Unfortunately, due to the extent of the damage to our infrastructure, we’re unable to determine with absolute certainty if an individual customer’s power was out, how long it was out for, or if a household experienced more than one outage. You may be able to determine if your home lost power by looking at clocks on kitchen appliances.
The health and safety of customers is paramount. We recommend customers refer to Health Canada guidelines when determining the safety of your food. Interior Health has also issued some guidelines regarding food safety for residents who are returning home.
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