Lake Okanagan Resort among properties destroyed in West Kelowna wildfire

The historic Lake OkanaganResort was one of an untold number of buildings destroyed by the wildfire still raging in West Kelowna, B.C.

West Kelowna resident Les York says he watched from a boat on the lake as the resort burned in the McDougallCreek wildfire on Friday morning.

York says he could hear explosions as flames engulfed the buildings, and he saw numerous other lakeside properties destroyed.

"It was quite the catastrophic event to look at. People have no idea," York told CBC News.

RCMP and provincial officials have both warned the public not to approach the evacuation zone by boat, saying they are putting themselves and emergency officials at risk.

The 217-unitlakeside resort was developed in the 1970s and once hosted heads of government, including Margaret Thatcher and Brian Mulroney.

Officials have yet to tally the extent of damage from the fast-moving wildfire, which is still burning aggressively in the area of the Okanagan city.

On Friday morning, officials said a number of properties were destroyed in the Trader Cove area and Bear Lake Road north of West Kelowna.