After nearly four full days of near-zero visibility due to smoke, the Central Okanagan saw the sun today.

That, and brief spells of rain, had many feeling a little more upbeat than they have since the McDougall Creek wildfire first tore through the valley on Thursday night and jumped the lake to produce two new fires in Kelowna and Lake Country.

It also allowed people to catch their first glimpse at some of the destruction, at least first-hand, and the scars that were left by the powerful fire late last week.

Photo Credit: Nick Csek/KelownaNow

The first-hand view revealed expected negative sights like scorched earth and destroyed homes, but it also provided a pleasant view of a seemingly unscathed Bear Creek campground.

More will become known over the coming days and weeks, but North Westside Fire Chief Ross Kotscherofski said today that dozens of homes were lost north of West Kelowna but an official count is not complete.

For now, you can take a look for yourself thanks to these photos taken by KelownaNow photographer Nick Csek from Poplar Point:

Photo Credit: Nick Csek/KelownaNow

Photo Credit: Nick Csek/KelownaNowBear Creek appears to have been protected by its deciduous trees and looks relatively unscathed.

Photo Credit: Nick Csek/KelownaNow

Photo Credit: Nick Csek/KelownaNow

Photo Credit: Nick Csek/KelownaNow

Photo Credit: Nick Csek/KelownaNow

Photo Credit: Nick Csek/KelownaNow