Information update on restoring of natural gas services

Lake Country, B.C. - Central Okanagan Emergency Management (COEM) has been in close contact with FortisBC as they continue to work towards restoration of natural gas service to the communities of Lake Country, Kelowna, and the Okanagan Indian Band (Duck Lake IR7).

A warming centre will continue to welcome residents until further notice at the Oyama Community Club,15710 Oyama Road providing temporary comfort for those affected by the outage.

FortisBC has begun restoring natural gas service now that the system is back in operation. With 60-plus crew members on the ground, they are working to turn gas back on at the meter and relight appliances to residents and businesses as safely and quickly as possible.

Residents can support the restoration efforts and help avoid delays by ensuring crews have clear access to turn on the meters. When a technician arrives, if a resident is home, they will turn the gas back on at the meter and relight the appliances. If the resident is not home, a door tag will be left with instructions on how to request a return visit. For safety reasons, residents should not relight appliances themselves.

Safety remains a top priority. Do not use outdoor equipment inside to reheat your home, as it can cause carbon monoxide poisoning or fire. Never use:
•    BBQs or propane grills
•    Camping stoves
•    Patio heaters
•    Generators
•    Charcoal or fuel burning devices

Only use appliances approved for indoor use. Learn more by visiting Health Canada – Carbon Monoxide Safety.

Residents are encouraged to continue checking FortisBC's Service Alert website for latest updates on service restoration.

Information about the warming centre location and hours is available at coemergency.ca. 

Additional resources to Emergency Preparedness information can be found at coemergency.ca. Central Okanagan Emergency information is also available on Facebook at facebook.com/coemergencymanagement and on X (formerly Twitter) at x.com/CO_Emerg.