Canada's Largest Wildfire Evacuation

British Columbia is still recovering from twelve days of devastating wildfire. The catastrophic fire is believed to have started by dry lightning strike in or near the Okanagan Mountain Park.
Kelowna emergency officials think it may be the largest evacuation in the shortest period of time in Canada’s history. They also suggest that a fire of this magnitude happens here only once in a hundred years. Nearly 20,000 residents near Kelowna were evacuated from their homes.
About's Canada for Visitors Guide, Elke Mairs, lives near the fire and has reported on the fire situation several times. Check her site and read BC on FIRE!. She also has a discussion going where you can ask questions at Canada for Visitors Fire Discussion!
It is my understanding that people are now moving back into parts of the area that are deemed safe. Cooler temperatures and calm winds have helped firefighters clean up hot spots and pushed the fire back on itself, but the Okanagan Mountain Fire is still only 30% contained.
Castanet.net reports that 248 homes have been destroyed along with 20,000 hectares of forest. Six hundred firefighters are employed and the cost of the fire is estimated at $7 million per day.
I have been told that nearly 350 cases of beer have been donated to firefighters. I certainly hope they are enjoying this at the end of their firefighting day!
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