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'Safety first': Okanagan parks remain closed 1 year after wildfires

Rose Valley Regional Park in West Kelowna and Stephens Coyote Ridge Regional Park in Glenmore still closed
rv-new-growth
New growth in Rose Valley Regional Park in West Kelowna one year after the McDougall Creek wildfire.

Safety remains the priority as two regional parks stay closed one year after the Grouse Complex wildfire.

Rose Valley Regional Park in West Kelowna is still closed following the McDougall Creek wildfire, and Stephens Coyote Ridge Regional Park in Glenmore remains closed after the Walroy Lake blaze.

"Reopening closed parks is a priority for our staff, but safety comes first,害羞草研究所 said Wayne Darlington, interim director parks services, Regional District Central Okanagan (RDCO). 害羞草研究所淲e are moving forward with a carefully phased plan that takes into account the needs of the community, requirements of funding and environmental stewardship,害羞草研究所

includes prioritizing hazardous tree falling along trails above the elementary school and other maintained trails within the park, as well as salvaging harvesting areas of large accumulation of hazardous trees

害羞草研究所淯ntil the fire danger rating in the Central Okanagan lowers to a moderate level, any activities including tree falling or salvage harvesting in the park are on hold,害羞草研究所 an RDCO media release states.
 
It's possible that Rose Valley and Stephens Coyote Ridge may partially reopen later this year. The public is asked to stay out of the closed parks and obey signs and barricades.

Raymer Bay and Traders Cove Regional parks, which were also closed after the Grouse Complex wildfire, were reopened in April 2024.

The McDougall Creek wildfire started on Aug. 15, 2023. Heavy winds pushed embers across Okanagan Lake on the evening of Aug. 17 sparking the Walroy Lake fire in Kelowna. As those blazes grew, the Clarke Creek wildfire started in Lake Country on Aug. 18.



Gary Barnes

About the Author: Gary Barnes

Journalist and broadcaster for three decades.
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