Some people will be able to return to their homes as the evacuation order for dozens of properties in Kelowna was lifted on Sunday afternoon. Some properties will remain on standby for evacuation, and residents will need to be prepared to leave at any moment.

The addresses for which the evacuation orders were lifted include all properties located off Quail Bridge Boulevard, including the Quail Bridge Golf Club, and several properties in the University of British Columbia - Okanagan area, according to the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre.

This news comes at a time when fire officials announced on Sunday that conditions began to improve after wildfires devastated the Kelowna area, forcing thousands to flee and destroying several homes.

Jason Brolund, the fire chief for West Kelowna, said at a press conference on Sunday, "It feels great for all of us, as we finally feel like we're moving forward instead of backward." He added that the weather conditions were favorable and fire behavior was diminishing, which means crews can start thinking about recovery and allowing people to return to their homes.

He continued, "For those living in West Kelowna, who have been spared the brunt of the damage caused by the McDougall Creek wildfires, this is not happening yet. I ask you to bear with us, as I pointed out the day before, and to cooperate with each other, be strong and safe. We are all in this together, and we will work through it."

For those waiting to know if any homes survived the fires, Brolund stated that the work on disseminating this information is ongoing.

The Canadian Task Force 1, a large urban search and rescue team consisting of paramedics, engineers, firefighters, police, and doctors, arrived in Okanagan on Sunday. Brolund explained that part of their work will be inventorying the properties that have been lost or damaged.

The team will also work to stabilize the infrastructure in the area and ensure that neighborhoods are safe for return.

“As this data begins to flow from the field, planning is underway on how to start reporting loss numbers and how to begin notifications for people who have suffered loss,” Brolund said. “This will be a very difficult process both logistically and emotionally.”