The restrictions barred non-essential travel to communities in the province's interior including Kelowna, Vernon and Kamloops and were due to expire at midnight. The measure will remain in place for West Kelowna. Flames burned nearly 200 homes in Kelowna and West Kelowna, officials said, but conditions were slowly improving even though smoke continued to blanket the province. "I really am beginning to feel like we're turning the corner here on this fire," West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund told a news conference. "...The efforts in partnership with the federal government, with First Nations and others on recovery has started already," British Columbia Premier David Eby told a news conference in West Kelowna.

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Persons: David Eby, Chad Hipolito, Jason Brolund, Columbia Premier David Eby, Nia Williams, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: British, REUTERS Acquire, West, Northwest Territories, Flames, Kelowna and, First Nations, Columbia Premier, Thomson Locations: Kamloops, Canada, British Columbia, Kelowna, Vernon, West Kelowna, Northwest, Yellowknife, Kelowna and West Kelowna, Hay River, Fort Smith, Alberta