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Nearly all residents have returned home following West Kelowna wildfire

The blaze is now unlikely to spread beyond predetermined boundaries
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After 37 days, the McDougall Creek wildfire in West Kelowna is now being held. (BC Wildfire Service)

UPDATE 5 p.m.

Only one property in the vicinity of the McDougall Creek fire remains on evacuation order, everyone else has been given the OK to head home.

Property immediately surrounding 550 Westside Road remains evacuated.

Several other properties had the evacuation alerts lifted also, including Bear Creek Road, Petterson Road, Dougmac Road, and Rose Valley Road.

Visit cordemergency.ca to view a map of evacuation alerts and orders.

ORIGINAL 8 a.m.

The McDougall Creek wildfire is now being held.

After burning out of control for just over a month, the blaze is now unlikely to spread beyond the predetermined boundaries under the current conditions.

BC Wildfire Service changed the status of the fire to being held on Wednesday night (Sept. 20) just before 7:30 p.m.

Crews are still battling the blaze as they extinguish hot spots and patrol the area as well as demobilize non-essential equipment.

Despite being held, all evacuation orders and alerts remain and the area restriction order is still in effect until Oct. 3 or until rescinded. Bear Creek Provincial Park continues to off-limits to the public, despite being in the evacuation alert zone because fire crews are using it for their operations. Anyone found in the area is subject to a $1,150 fine.

All evacuation orders and alerts can be seen on the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations map.

The fire ignited on Tuesday, Aug. 15 and remains at 13,970.4 hectares in size and a wildfire of note. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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