The family-friendly Kangaroo Creek Farm attraction adjacent Kelowna International Airport is on fire watch, as embers from nearby wildfires continue to fall onto the property.
The facility houses more than 150 animals (primarily kangaroos) and has been closed to the public since this past Friday as the nearby Kelowna landfill caught fire.
The kangaroos have been enjoying their time off from socializing with tourists and other visitors, and as they are generally more active at night have been spending their days laying around quietly. They have seemingly been unaffected by the smoke thus far, despite being outside night and day.
Four employees have been keeping watch over the animals, and Kangaroo Creek Farm manager Nathan Russett tells us that they have robust evacuation plans in place for them should a wildfire approach the property.
The 70-acre plot the farm is located on has a wildlife corridor that passes by it, and Russett says that since the fires started they've seen deer, raccoons and coyotes active on it during the day, which he notes is unusual.
It's possible that this closure could spell the end of the season for the facility, as most of their visitors take the attraction in during the summer months. This past weekend would have been one of their busiest were it a normal season.
Depending on what the wildfire situation looks like this coming week, it remains to be seen if they will open for next weekend.
Have a look at the property and the variety of animals as they looked today in the video here.
@bcisawesome Wildlife and wildfires 🦘 #kelownafire #bcwildfire #kelowna ♬ original sound - BC Is Awesome
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