Argenta has been downgraded from an evacuation order to alert, allowing residents to return home despite a wildfire still burning east of the small community.
The BC Wildfire Service and Regional District of Central Community announced Thursday morning that 82 properties and 19 parcel identifiers north of Bulmer's Point and east of Argenta Road, as well as Argenta and east of the southern portion of the Duncan forest service road, are no longer on an evac order.
An evac order for Duncan Island and boat-access only parcels in Area D north of Glacier Creek Regional Park that impacted one property and 51 parcel identifiers has also been rescinded.
The Argenta Creek wildfire, which has been burning since July 18, is 18,390 hectares in size within the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy and listed as out of control.
In the Slocan Valley, an evacuation order has also been downgraded to an alert for 65 properties and 15 parcel identifiers near the Ponderosa wildfire. The area includes properties south of Lemon Creek, east of Slocan River, and three properties accessed by Avis Road on the west side of the Slocan River.
The Village of Slocan, however, as well as properties north of Lemon Creek remain under an evac order. Highway 6 also remains closed from Silverton to 11 kilometres south of Slocan.
The Ponderosa wildfire was just over 1,000 hectares Thursday morning, according to the BC Wildfire Service that said in an update a planned aerial ignition over the fire was successful Wednesday and will continue.
The Mulvey Creek fire on the west side of Slocan Lake across from the Ponderosa fire is now 1,167 hectares.
South of Silverton, the Komonko fire is 3,831 hectares, while across the lake the Nemo Creek fire is 5,388 hectares.
