UPDATE: Some returning home as evacuation orders downgraded in Peachland wildfire

The Drought Hill wildfire is still out of control but some evacuation orders have been downgraded to alerts.  The latest information on the fire says that it’s at 27 hectares with 400 properties between the Okanagan Connector and Highway 97 were placed on evacuation order and 225 properties on evacuation alert, according to the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre. As of 2:50 p.m. on July 31, many of the properties initially put under evacuation order have been downgraded to alerts so people can return home.  The centre’s communications officer Kari O’Rourke said the cause of the fire is likely a truck towing a trailer that caught fire on the highway yesterday afternoon. She said that there hasn’t been an official investigation yet but that appears to be the cause. RCMP officers and firefighters went around last night to all of the affected addresses to ensure residents had evacuated. BC Wildfire Service initially responded with attack crews, structure protection crews, helicopters, tankers and skimmers. Municipal firefighters have also responded and helped to protect homes and other structures overnight as wildfire service crews patrolled and put out hotspots. So far no damage to homes or other structures has been reported to the EOC. There are 35 wildfire firefighters on the fire today alongside 14 firefighters from Peachland, Kelowna and North Westside fire departments. Aircraft dropped retardant and water yesterday to cool the fire behaviour but as temperatures rise today fire behaviour will increase, the wildfire service said. The fire is a rank 2 currently, which means it's mainly a surface fire with some open flame and a slow to moderate rate of spread. Today’s priorities include wildfire suppression, field assessments, ongoing resource allocation and evaluation of the evacuation orders and alert, the EOC said. Boaters on Okanagan Lake should stay clear of personnel responding on the ground and by air to avoid interfering with the wildfire response. Aircraft will use Okanagan Lake as a water source and watercraft should stay out of the way. The weather today, July 31, is expected to be extremely hot with a heat warning in effect. Environment Canada has issued a thunderstorm watch for the Okanagan as conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain. O'Rourke said EOC officials are meeting with BC Wildfire Service and Environment Canada today to determine whether evacuation orders or alerts need to be changed so there should be an update this afternoon. For drivers, the Okanagan Connector has reopened and there's single lane alternating traffic on Highway 97 in both directions with pilot trucks assisting vehicles through the area. Evacuation order and alert Roughly 400 properties east of Trepanier Bench Road, south of Highway 97C and north of Highway 97 were originally on evacuation order, but a lot of them can be returned to as of 2:15 p.m. People living in these addresses and streets can return home right away: Property at the north end of Chidley Road (unaddressed) All of Clarence Road except 5140 and 5151 Clarence Road Coldham Road 5078, 5089, 5091, 5093 and 5101 Cousins Place Cousins Road Desert Pines Avenue Dryden Road Greata Road 3599 Highway 97 Huston Road Inglis Place Lever Court Lornell Crescent Lornell Court 5030, 5070, 5090, 5126, 5145, 5146, 5156, 5166, 5175, 5186 Mackinnon Road and the property at the North end of Mackinnon Road within the District of Peachland (unaddressed) Point Place Shaw Road Smith Way Sutherland Road Trepanier Heights Avenue Trepanier Heights Place 4995 Trepanier Road Trepanier Bench Road (except units within property at 5165 Trepanier Bench Road) Witt Place These addresses and streets are still on an evacuation order: 5140 and 5151 Clarence Road 5031 Lang Court MacNeil Court Morrison Crescent Morrison Court Morrison Place All units within the property at 5165 Trepanier Bench Road Walker Road The following addresses have been included in an evacuation alert: Coldham Road 5006, 5010, 5030, 5050, 5104, 5120 Cousins Road Desert Pines Avenue Dryden Road Inglis Place Lever Court 5126, 5145, 5146, 5156, 5166, 5175, 5186 Mackinnon Road, Point Place Smith Way 5180, 5240, 5250, 5260, 5270, 5280, 5290, 5355 Trepanier Bench Road Trepanier Heights Avenue Trepanier Heights Place Witt Place An evacuation alert is in place for numerous addresses and residents are asked to prepare to be away from their properties for an extended period of time, make arrangements for pets and pack essential items such as medicines and important documents. People returning home after evacuating have been advised to check for damage, but no structural damage has been reported. A map of the properties evacuated and those on evacuation alert can be seen here https://www.cordemergency.ca/map . Click here for updates and tips for packing an evacuation kit. https://www.cordemergency.ca/ To contact a reporter for this story, email Jesse Tomas mailto:jtomas@infonews.ca  or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. Find our Journalism Ethics policy here. https://infotel.ca/newsitem/code-of-ethics/it106782 We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. 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