Lightning Ruled Out as Cause of West Kelowna Blaze

By 250 News

Scene this morning as  fires continue  to  burn in the West Kelowna region ( photo courtesy Kelly Hayes - www.castanet.net )

Prince George, B.C.- The  wildfires in West Kelowna, which have forced 17 thousand people from their homes,  were not started by lightning.  As for how the Glenrosa area blaze  got underway, officials will not  say, although they have confirmed  it was not touched off by lightning.

6500 homes have been  evacuated since the blaze started yesterday afternoon. 

People in Shannon Woods, the Talus Ridge subdivision and a broad piece of West Kelowna Estates right down to Highway 97, are now on alert.  The Glenrosa fire is now 350 hectares in size, the Rose Valley fire is now 100 hectares.

The Ministry of Forests has  150 personnel on the scene battling the  fires in  Glenrosa, and in the Rose Valley.   That is  in addition to the 100 plus personnel on the ground from the fire fighting  crews in the region.  There are 10 choppers in the air as well as two  tankers dumpiing fire retardant.  The  fire retardant dropped yesterday seems to be holding the line.

Everyone is watching the weather,  if the wind picks up,  the situation could deteriorate rapidly.

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