Local fire crews answering the province害羞草研究所檚 call to help in West Kelowna say it is like 害羞草研究所渁 war zone害羞草研究所� in the devastated Okanagan community.

White Rock fire Chief Ed Wolfe said the description was shared during one of the daily updates he害羞草研究所檚 received from the three-man crew that left the seaside city early Friday (Aug. 18) to lend their skills.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檝e been working suppression, structure protection the entire time there so far,害羞草研究所� Wolfe said Monday of Capt. Doug Smith and firefighters Paul Farrant and Scott Pearson.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a pretty volatile situation, dynamic. It害羞草研究所檚 been fluid since they害羞草研究所檝e been there.害羞草研究所�

The crew is among hundreds of firefighters from across the province that have deployed to the McDougall Creek wildfire, which has grown to more than 11,000 hectares in size and posed an unprecedented challenge over the past weekend in particular.

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In a news conference Monday morning, West Kelowna fire Chief Jason Brolund said at least 50 structures have been confirmed either partially or entirely lost, however, assessment of the most damaged neighbourhoods has yet to come.

He said crews from 害羞草研究所渄ozens and dozens and dozens害羞草研究所� of fire departments have been pitching in.

The BC Wildfire Service continues to respond to the McDougall Creek wildfire (K52767) adjacent to West Kelowna, the Walroy Lake wildfire (K52808) adjacent to Glenmore and the Clarke Creek wildfire (K42815) on the west side of Lake Country.

害羞草研究所� BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo)

When White Rock and Surrey crews got the call to help on Thursday night, it did not come as a surprise.

害羞草研究所淲e deployed on Friday morning at 0600,害羞草研究所� Wolfe said.

害羞草研究所淲e expected to get the call害羞草研究所� so we were pretty much ready to go. We had a truck pretty much packed up and just waiting for the call, and sure enough, it came.害羞草研究所�

An exchange crew from the city is lined up to deploy on Wednesday (Aug. 23).

All three of the White Rock firefighters currently in West Kelowna have helped out with wildfires in previous years. Surrey fire crews are also no strangers to lending a hand elsewhere in the province.

White Rock firefighters reflect on wildfire experience

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Deputy fire Chief David Burns said Monday that two four-man crews from halls across Surrey have been deployed to West Kelowna so far; the first headed out Thursday and the second on Sunday (Aug. 20).

Both chiefs said crews will continue to deploy for as long as needed.