Penticton is asking some wildfire evacuees already receiving support in the city to relocate from the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre as additional displaced residents arrive.
In an update issued at 8:31 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, the City of Penticton encouraged people registered for Emergency Support Services at the convention centre to move to alternate accommodation or support locations if they are able.
The city said the move is intended to preserve capacity at the convention centre for new arrivals and people with the most immediate needs.
The City of Penticton said there were no evacuation alerts or orders related to the Bald Range wildfire within city limits.
The city reiterated that Sunday night as its emergency operations centre monitored wildfire conditions around the region. The city said additional locations have also been made available for evacuees travelling with RVs, trailers and trucks.
Parking is available at King’s Park, Skaha Lake Park, Cherry Lane Shopping Centre, Wholesale Club and the Penticton Seventh-day Adventist Church, according to the city.
The city said the Princess Margaret Secondary School Comfort Centre at 120 Green Ave. W. is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. It offers food, water, device charging and space to rest, with temporary overnight parking available for campers and trailers. The city also said it has been serving as a host community for people displaced by wildfires across the Okanagan, including the Bald Range wildfire that forced the evacuation of Summerland.
The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen said in its 5:45 p.m. Sunday update that 5,688 properties in Summerland were under evacuation order. Elsewhere in the regional district, 451 properties were under order and 1,065 were under evacuation alert.
Another 38 Penticton Indian Band properties were under evacuation order and 1,082 were under alert.
BC Wildfire Service estimated the Bald Range wildfire at 13,618 hectares Sunday.
