Vernon, B.C., lifts tactical evacuation order caused by out-of-control wildfire

British ColumbiaThe City of Vernon in B.C.’s Okanagan region issued a temporary, tactical evacuation order for about 20 properties due to a wildfire on Sunday afternoon.Drivers on Highway 97 told to expect delaysCBC News · Posted: Aug 17, 2025 8:59 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours agoThe Boltres Creek wildfire burns Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, near Vernon, B.C. (B.C. Wildfire Service)The City of Vernon has lifted an evacuation order for about 20 properties prompted by a wildfire Sunday.”The Boltres Creek wildfire is stable and no longer showing growth,” said the city’s online update on the fire.The City of Vernon lifted the evacuation order for properties on Commonage Road from Rose’s Pond to the Allan Brookes Nature Centre around 6:30 p.m. PT Sunday.The five-kilometre stretch of road is located a few kilometres south of the city centre. The fire, off Highway 97, grew to 103 hectares (1.03 square kilometres) before 6 p.m. PT Sunday, and is still classified as out of control, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS). The fire has been downgraded from rank 2 and 3 to a rank 1 smouldering ground fire.”Crews have been making good progress on the site,” said BCWS fire information officer Taylor Wallace.The BCWS said 17 firefighting personnel responded to the Boltres Creek wildfire along with three helicopters using Kalamalka Lake as a water source.Smoke billows up from a wildfire growing near Vernon, B.C., on Sunday afternoon. (Jeff Heywood)The wildfire service asked the public to give the firefighters room to work and said anyone out on the lake should quickly move out of the way of skimmers.Ground crews will remain on scene throughout the night, according to a statement from the city.The fire is suspected to be human-caused, said BCWS, which is how any wildfire not sparked by lightning is categorized.Drivers on Highway 97 were told to expect delays due to the wildfire. A section of the highway’s southbound right lane was reopened after being temporarily closed due to the fire.The most up-to-date highway information is available on the DriveBC website.