US EditionVolunteers Rescued Dozens of Pets From Drought Hill Wildfire in Peachland (Peachland)
OKANAGAN REGION, BRITISH COLUMBIA, AUG 1 – The Drought Hill wildfire forced closure of major highways, highlighting urgent calls from MLAs to upgrade a critical alternate route used by evacuees and emergency services.
- On July 30, 2025, crews shut Highway 97 and Highway 97C for six hours to address the Drought Hill wildfire near Peachland.
- Amid the highway shutdown, officials noted the closure of two highways exposes how vulnerable the Okanagan is without a safe, accessible alternate route, as evacuees, emergency vehicles, and the general public competed for space.
- Evacuation orders were lifted after the fire, which reached 57 hectares and prompted evacuations of 400 properties, as of Saturday.
- MLAs are calling on Premier David Eby and Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth to fund paving, as Harman Bhangu noted his party has been asking since January.
- MLAs called for urgent funding and prioritization of road upgrades; without immediate action, emergency response may be slowed and public safety at risk during future crises.
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Volunteers rescued dozens of pets from Drought Hill Wildfire in Peachland (Peachland)
As the Drought Hill wildfire forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes and shut down key routes including Highways 97 and 97C on Wednesday, the Animal Lifeline Emergency Response Team (ALERT) stepped in to save beloved pets left behind. The blaze, sparked by a vehicle towing a trailer, prompted the...
·Kelowna, Canada
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West K News+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
Highway closures due to wildfire reignite calls to pave Okanagan detour route
'We’re putting public safety at risk every time there’s a crisis'
·Kelowna, Canada
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources6
Leaning Left4Leaning Right0Center1Last UpdatedBias Distribution80% Left
Bias Distribution
- 80% of the sources lean Left
80% Left
L 80%
C 20%
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