The relentless Okanagan Mountain Park fire has forced thousands from their homes. With more dry, windy weather in the forecast, officals see no relief for firefighters or residents.
KELOWNA, B.C. - Fires raged within 15 kilometres of the centre of this B.C. city of 100,000 Saturday after eating through at least six suburbs and destroying more than 200 homes.
Kelowna is now a city under siege. About 30,000 people, nearly one-third of the population, have been forced out of their homes as exhausted firefighters -- some of whom had lost their own homes -- battle the out-of-control blazes.
"The homes aren't half down," fire chief Gerry Zimmermann said Saturday. "They're flat. They're either standing or they're flat.
"(Friday) night was probably the roughest night in Kelowna firefighting history," Zimmermann said. "We got hammered pretty good. The losses are staggering."