The Philpott Road wildfire that broke out on Thursday has left many firefighters and community members alike working countless hours assisting and protecting citizens affected by the blaze that took to the mountain.

An estimated 1,100 people were forced from their homes. One of them, Jon Derksen, talked to KelownaNow about his experience with the wildfire and the support of the community involved.

“We were watching the fire, the plume, and all of a sudden the wind picks up and within a couple minutes, literally, it had moved 500 meters towards us, and we knew we were going to be evacuated,” said Derksen.

He went on to add that because of the city and the people his family has encountered, they felt fairly relaxed and composed given the situation.

“I would just like to send out [to our fire-fighters, volunteers and RCMP] a thank you. All around our experience has been amazing,” said Derksen.

Photo credit: KelownaNow

Jon Derksen and his family are currently staying with family for the time being.