The Quilpituk Creek wildfire burns on the west side of Okanagan Lake as lights from a helicopter conducting night operations are seen near Fintry, B.C., late Monday, Aug. 3, 2026. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck
The highway that runs through the wildfire evacuation zone in Summerland, B.C., has been reopened on a limited basis.
The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen says Highway 97 is only open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with no stopping or exiting except for those with temporary access passes.
The route had been shut since the fast-moving Bald Range wildfire forced the evacuation of Summerland and surrounding areas over the weekend, and the fire is still classified as out of control.
The district says the speed limit has been cut to 70 kilometres per hour and there is no access to any of the side roads to enter evacuated areas without a pass.
It says that if drivers don’t obey all the restrictions, the highway may need to be shut down again.
The province’s DriveBC road information site says the highway remains an active wildfire area, with conditions subject to change “with little or no warning.”
