Fire

People forced from their homes by the Quilpituk Creek wildfire in Central Okanagan West are a step closer to returning home after the fire was classified as held.

An evacuation alert has been issued for Princeton-Summerland Road east of Thirsk Lake due to the Bald Range wildfire, according to the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen.

Premier David Eby is scheduled to hold a media availability Wednesday afternoon in Penticton with local officials as wildfire response efforts remain active across the Okanagan.

The Bald Range wildfire has grown to 18,450 hectares as crews work to strengthen containment lines and prepare for thunderstorms that could increase fire activity, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service.

Frustration is growing among Summerland evacuees who want to know when they can return home, but emergency officials said Tuesday the volatility of the Bald Range wildfire makes it impossible to give them a firm timeline.

Clearer skies overnight contributed to increased activity at the Bald Range wildfire as exceptionally dry fuels and shifting winds challenged crews Tuesday, Aug. 11.

B.C. officials are providing a provincial update Tuesday at 11 a.m. as major wildfires in the Okanagan have forced thousands of people from their homes and prompted widespread evacuation orders and alerts.

The B.C. government has secured more than 1,000 hotel rooms in the Okanagan and increased staffing for its evacuee helpline as people leave their homes because of the Bald Range wildfire.

The chief of the Penticton Indian Band is urging the provincial and federal governments to prioritize wildfire preparedness to help protect communities across B.C., including those in the Okanagan threatened by increasingly large fires.

Some residents displaced by the Bald Range wildfire are being granted temporary access to Summerland for critical purposes as emergency officials plan for a staged return to the community.