UPDATE – 9 p.m. – There is good news for some Falkland-area residents today as an evacuation order has been partially rescinded by the Columbia Shuswap Regional District.

All properties in Falkland including those along the Chase-Falkland Road to Joyce Lake are no longer on an evacuation order due to the White Rock Lake Fire. As well, people who live at 6547 to 6899 Six Mile Creek Road and in the Cedar Hill area can also return home.

“All homes in the rescind area revert to Evacuation Alert status and residents must remain ready to leave their homes again on short notice if the fire situation changes,” the CSRD said, in a statement.

An evacuation order remains in place for the area around Pinaus Lake, south of Falkland.

Further, all evacuation alerts for the hills west of, and above, Yankee Flats Road, north to Spa Creek, Glenemma, Silver Creek, Yankees Flats, and Deep Creek were rescinded by the CSRD.

As well, people in several hundred properties in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District have had their evacuations orders and alerts modified, based on the current fire activity.

According to the TNRD’s dashboard, people in the Pritchard, Pillar Lake, Chase Creek, China Valley, and Douglas Lake areas can go back home, with some getting the all clear from the regional distict, while others remain on an evacuation alert.

People in Westwold as well as some in Paxton Valley and Monte Lake remain on an evacuation order as of publishing.

Residents in Falkland, Westwold, and Monte Lake were ordered to evacuate last Wednesday, August 4. One day later, on August 5, parts of Monte Lake and the nearby Paxton Valley were destroyed by the fire as it moved northeast because of strong wind gusts.

The City of Kamloops rescinded an evacuation alert for the neighbourhoods of Campbell Creek, Dallas, and Barnhartvale on Saturday, while the Village of Chase rescinded its evacuation alert today.

For the latest on evacuation orders and alerts in the TNRD, go here, while for the latest from the CSRD, go here.

White Rock Lake Fire Update

The White Rock Lake Fire is a massive 55,700 hectares according to the latest update from the BC Wildfire Service.

“Crews on the northern flank of the fire will work on constructing guard along the west and east perimeter of the fire north above Highway 97. Crews will also work on establishing containment along Grange Forest Service Road to Adelphi Road on the eastern side of the northern finger of the fire perimeter to protect this flank from growing towards Pinaus Lake,” the BCWS said.

“Two unit crews are working on either side of the northern tip of the fire to prevent further spread northeast towards Paxton Valley and further. A unit crew is working in the Ingram Road excursion to prevent further spread of the excursion. Machine guard is being built from Biancotto Lake south to existing hand guard.”

Construction on the Martin Forest Service Road contingency line is expected to be completed by Wednesday, August 11.

Further, the BC Wildfire Service says on the northwest flank of the fire, crews and heavy equipment will work on securing the excursion over in the Foley Road area working back towards the Monte-Pratt.

“Direct attack methods will be used along the Foley Road area where safe to do so to limit spread,” they said. “Mop-up is occurring on the west side of Douglas Lake Road and along Grange Forest Service Road towards Rock Bluff. Crews are being assisted by helicopter support in this area as they work to secure control lines.”

The BC Wildfire Service says there is also a machine guard being built along the Duck Range Road, south of Pritchard.

It says there are no planned ignitions on any part of this guard, at this time, noting the guard is being put in place should the fire move towards the Pritchard and Chase area.

The Wildfire Service also says there are no large scale planned ignitions set for any part of the White Rock Lake Fire.

For the latest on the White Rock Lake Fire, go here.