Two new evacuation orders have been issued in British Columbia because of wildfires.
The latest was issued early Tuesday in West Kelowna for residents in about 70 properties on the west side of Okanagan Lake.
The residents (on Westside Rd.) were asked to report to a community centre in West Kelowna. Other residents in the area remained under an evacuation alert due to what the BC Wildfire Service called a “highly vigorous surface fire.”
That order followed another issued late Monday for the area surrounding Bolean Lake, including the Bolean Lake Resort, due to an aggressive wildfire between Bolean Lake and Falkland.
The fire southwest of Salmon Arm covers about 300 hectares and the order affects about 24 properties.
Meanwhile, residents of 28 homes near Ashcroft were on evacuation alert because of an aggressive, growing fire sparked by lightning.
The BC Wildfire Service says the 250 hectare Coldstream Creek fire was discovered Monday and was fuelled by hot, dry conditions and strong winds.
Provincial Fire Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek says in the last 24 hours, 60 fires have started across B.C. and almost all have been sparked by lightning.
There have been almost 1,200 wildfires this season in B.C. and there are currently 216 burning, 15 of which are considered major fires.
Evacuation alerts or orders were in place for residents near five fires, including an alert for residents near Kelowna in the Bear Creek area.