From Steve Nix,
Your Guide to Forestry.
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On August 16, 2003 a lightning strike started a wildfire some 50 miles north of the state of Washington (U.S.)/ British Columbia (Canada) international line near Rattlesnake Island in Okanagan Mountain Park. This devastating wildfire burned in and out of the park for several weeks, ultimately forcing the evacuation of 45,000 residents and consuming 239 homes. The final size of the forest fire was determined to be just over 60,000 acres.

The Okanagan Mountain Park Fire was a classic "interface zone" fire. Thousands of homes were constructed in the zone where urban human habitation shared space with wildland conditions that were soon to become a fire trap.

The wildfire was fueled by constant winds during one of the driest summers in BC history. Starting on September 5, 2003, nearly 30,000 people of the city of Kelowna were ordered from their homes as the forest fire moved closer. That was about one-third of the city’s total population.

Official reports confirm that 60 fire departments, 1,400 armed forces troops and 1,000 forest fire fighters were used in fighting the wildfire but were largely unsuccessful in stopping the fire's spread. Amazingly no one died as a direct result of the fire but thousands lost everything they owned.

Slide Show: Okanagan Mountain Park Fire
Cedar Fire Official Report