The village of Edgewood on Arrow Lakes has been put on evacuation alert because of a fire burning nine kilometres south of town.
The Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) issued an Evacuation alert for Edgewood, a community on the west shore of Lower Arrow Lake, as a precaution due to the Mt O’Leary wildfire.
The alert area is from north of Worthington Creek, all of Edgewood and the south portion of Needles, along Inonoaklin Valley Road up to south of Robinson Road, including Lower Inonoaklin Road.
A map of the alert area can also be found on the RDCK website here.
The area includes 177 civic addresses. Residents in the area are being advised of the alert by Kaslo Search and Rescue.
“The Evacuation Alert for Edgewood and area is being issued as a precaution to protect people and property in the area,” said Sangita Sudan, Director of the RDCK Emergency Operations Centre. “If you are affected by the alert, please take the time now to prepare to evacuate yourself and your family should an evacuation be required.”
Under an Evacuation Alert, residents and visitors should be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice.
It is recommended to prepare an emergency kit and ensure preparedness in the event that the situation worsens, and an Evacuation Order is enforced.
The Mt O’Leary wildfire (N52566) was discovered on August 12, and is now an estimated 685 hectares. BC Wildfire Service considers it a Fire of Note.
The Southeast Fire Centre says the fire has experienced growth in recent days. It is not considered an interface fire at this time, the BCWS says. The Service says heavy equipment working to establish machine guard in priority areas along the north and west flanks of this fire.
All other Evacuation Alerts and Evacuation Orders remain in effect. Updates will be provided via the RDCK website, Facebook and Twitter as more information becomes available.