Evacuation orders rescinded around Durand Lake fire southwest of Kamloops

KAMLOOPS — Residents who fled a raging wildfire southwest of Kamloops last week are being allowed back home.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District announced late Thursday (July 8) evacuation orders for 95 properties around the Durand Lake wildfire have been downgraded to alerts. Residents were allowed to return home as of 9:00 p.m. Thursday.

These are the properties affected:

• 4704 to 4792 Atwater Rd;
• 4700 to 4870 Mile High Lane;
• 4812 to 4897 Paska Lake Rd;
• 4730 to 4890 Pine Ridge Way;
• 4830 to 4860 Saddle Cres; and
• other properties as identified on the map below
  Image Credit: TNRD

The Durand Lake fire ignited last week in the area of Tunkwa Lake, between Cherry Creek and Logan Lake.

In a Zoom call Thursday, the B.C. Wildfire Service announced a machine guard had been constructed around 100 per cent of the 280-hectare fire’s perimeter.

As residents of the affected properties are still on evacuation alert, they will still need to be ready to leave on very short notice.