Crews working diligently to reopen parts of Kalamoir Park ASAP after wildfire

Job No. 1 is to reopen unscorched areas of Kalamoir Regional Park as soon as possible.

But, burned swaths of the park may remain closed for an extended period as hazards are assessed and recovery work is done.

"We know Kalamoir Regional Park is deeply valued by the surrounding neighbourhood and by residents from across the region," said Tracy Draper, director of parks services with the Central Okanagan Regional District.

"We understand people are eager to return. Our priority is reopening of unaffected areas as soon as it is safe to do so. At the same time, areas impacted by the wildfire will remain closed until hazards have been identified and addressed. Public safety will continue to guide every decison as we move through the recovery process."

Exactly how long that will take and when it will happen is up in the air.

After a suspicious wildfire ripped through the park Tuesday burning eight hectares, fire and park crews face a complicated and onerous road to recovery.

Currently, West Kelowna Fire Rescue personnel remain on site extinguishing hot spots and mopping up the aftermath of the blaze.

Nearby residents may notice lingering smoke and firefighting equipment continuing to move in and out of the area.

While the fire has been under control since Tuesday night and all evacuation orders and alerts have been lifted, people are being asked to stay out of the park so crews can work and risk assessments can be made.

As mop up is being done, investigators continue to look into the cause of the fire.

It's suspicious, likely human-caused, either deliberate or an accident.

But no exact, definitive determination has been made yet.

Once the mop up and investigation is complete, Kalamoir will be turned back over to the Central Okanagan Regional District Parks Service.

Park staff will then start the detailed assessments of trails, infrastructure, natural areas and wildfire impacts to determine risk, next steps, repairs and restoration and a guide to reopening sections of the park.

Wildfires can leave behind hazards that are not necessarily obvious, including damaged trees, weakened root systems, unstable slopes, erosion and ash pits.

Updates on Kalamoir work will continue to be shared at rdco.com/parks.

Residents can also visit rdco.com/subscribe to receive the latest regional parks updates directly.

The regional district says the Kalamoir fire is a stark reminder that fire safety in all parks, especially in this hot, dry summer is paramount.

Smoking, vaping, campfires and any open flame are not allowed at any time in any regional or community park.

Propane barbecues are permitted, but must be carefully attended and kept away from any flammable materials.

Anyone caught breaking regional or community park bylaws can be fined $250 to $1,000.

The risk is that any park fire, whether its natural or human-caused, either accidentially or deliberately, threathens no only recreational land, but public amenities, nearby residents and homes and infrastructure.

KelownaNow first reported on the parks closure and recovery on Wednesday.

The chronology of coverage of the wildfire Tuesday is here.