The Manitobans living in Kelowna during the massive wildfire

A former Manitoba resident is grappling with the uncertainty as a massive wildfire creeps closer to Kelowna, B.C.

On Thursday evening, Dakota Johnston left work – taking in the apocalyptic sight of the mountains west of Kelowna on fire. The city is now in a state of emergency as firefighters battle the fast-burning flames.

“I looked up and saw a huge cloud of smoke,” Johnston said. “We just went to the park and you can just see the full extent of the fire. The emotions that I had was just unfathomable.”

He says that’s when he learned the McDougal Creek fire jumped the Okanogan Lake, previously unaware of the magnitude.

Johnston says he’s not used to fires of this magnitude being so close to home.

“It’s like culture shock, definitely the biggest thing coming from the prairies and not really having this in the back of our minds at all.”

More than 2,400 properties are under evacuation orders, and 4,800 are under an alert due to the blaze. Johnston said his place of work closed Friday to give employees time to prepare for possible evacuations.

Wildfire smoke in Kelowna billows into the sky on Aug. 18, 2023. (Source: Dakota Johnston)

The former Manitoban says he thinks his downtown home is safe, but he and his roommates have packed go bags for each other just in case the roads are impacted.

He is worried about the future with wildfires and other climate extremes.

“Not only in Kelowna, B.C. but just like the world in general, like is this something we have to get used to now and what do we do to combat this in the future?”

Despite the worries, he is planning to stay in Kelowna as long as he can.

On Thursday, West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund cautioned residents that the sky will look different for residents.

‘’I need the public to be aware it’s going to be dramatic what you see," the fire chief told reporters. "There will be ash falling in your neighbourhoods. There has been for the past 24 hours and you’re going to see that continue."

It is not known when the fire will ease.

Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre says no Manitoban firefighters have been dispatched to Kelowna this fire season.  

Flames can be seen off in the distance in Kelowna as residents look on. (Aug. 18, 2023. Source: Dakota Johnston)