West Kelowna arena converted to group lodging for wildfire evacuees

West Kelowna’s Royal LePage arena is being converted into temporary group lodging for people displaced by nearby wildfires.

The city says all bookings at the venue have been cancelled for the next week. Commercial lodging is at capacity, so the arena will provide 150 beds initially and can expand to accommodate up to 256 guests if needed.

Evacuees at the site will have access to washrooms, showers and on-site security.

BC Wildfire Service said a dynamic weather event brought strong winds that drove rapid growth on existing fires, while lightning sparked new blazes. More than 5,000 people were forced from their homes in a 24-hour period.