1,200 Terrace Mountain fire evacuees to return Saturday

Approximately 1,200 residents forced to leave their homes because of a wildfire at Terrace Mountain north of Kelowna will be allowed to return home Saturday.

The evacuation order will be lifted for residents living along two stretches of Okanagan Lake, who will be allowed to return home as of 8 a.m. PT Saturday, officials said in a news release. See sidebar for list of specific communities affected.

However, those residents will be put on a short-notice evacuation alert, meaning they could be asked to leave again at any time. 

"Due to some favourable conditions caused by the rain, cooler weather and the work … of firefighters and heavy equipment operators, the evacuation order has been lifted with the caution that this is a huge fire that remains only 20 per cent contained and is relatively close to these inhabited areas," said Jason Johnson with the emergency evacuation centre.

The area around Fintry will remain on evacuation order, and Westside Road will remain closed between La Casa on the south side and Baziw Orchards on the north side.

Those returning to homes south of La Casa must access their properties from the south, meaning if they are coming from Vernon, they must use Highway 97 through Kelowna to connect with Westside Road.

About 2,200 people were put under evacuation order Thursday as fire crews struggled to bring the 4,400-hectare Terrace Mountain blaze under control.

Officials say the fire was human-caused but is still under investigation.

Meanwhile, two other Okanagan fires are fully contained.

Fires in the Glenrosa and Rose Valley Dam areas of West Kelowna forced the evacuation of more than 11,000 people Saturday as they edged closer to nearby communities and destroyed three homes.

All evacuees were allowed to return home Wednesday, but they remain under an evacuation alert, meaning they must be ready to leave at a moment's notice.