A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for the Central and North Okanagan as extreme fire conditions continue to threaten Kelowna and several other communities.
"Conditions are favourable for the development of dangerous thunderstorms that may be capable of producing damaging wind gusts and heavy rain," Environment Canada warns.
"Very strong wind gusts can damage buildings, down trees and blow large vehicles off the road."
The storm watch is also in effect for the Shuswap, where major fires are also burning at Adams Lake, as well as the Arrow Lake area and West Columbia.
Cooler temperatures couldn't come at a better time for firefighters battling wildfires across the Southern Interior.
A heat warning for much of the interior including the Okanagan, Boundary and Kootenay regions has ended.
Environment Canada is forecasting daytime high temperatures only in the 25 C to 27 C with overnight temperatures dropping as low as 10 C.
The forecast across the region Friday calls for highs of 25 C with some sun and a 30 per cent chance of precipitation.
However, thunderstorms are also possible late Friday afternoon.
Winds, which helped whip the McDougall Creek wildfire Thursday are expected to gust to 40 km/h by Friday afternoon as well.
The McDougall Creek fire has grown to an estimated 1,100 hectares in size according to the latest information from the BC Wildfire Service.
No accurate size has been mapped for wildfires in the Clifton and McKinley areas that sparked late Thursday night.
Emergency officials confirmed overnight that structures had been lost in both West Kelowna and the regional district, hours after images and photos started circulating of homes going up in flames in the Westside Road area.
By morning, 2,462 properties remained under evacuation order with 4,801 properties under evacuation alert. An interactive map of evacuation zones is here.
