Yellowknife (Aug 29/03) - The Okanagan Mountain Park Wildfire has been the top news story all over Canada. Former residents of Yellowknife are telling their story about what happened during the devastating blaze.

Calm winds and some cool temperature have allowed firefighters to contain some of the fire and some residents have been allowed back into their homes.

"It was an awful experience," said Bonnie Gullion, a resident of Kelowna, B.C. "It was very frightening to see all the flames."

Before moving to Kelowna with her husband Doug, Gullion was a teacher at St. Patrick high school for several years.

Gullion and her husband were evacuated on Aug. 22, when the fire was at it's worst. They were allowed back into their home the next day.

"It looked like the whole mountain was on fire," she said. For Christine Reimann the experience is bitter sweet. She and her family were also evacuated on Aug. 22 and were allowed back into their home Aug. 27.

"We're happy to be back in our home but it's sad to see all the destruction," she said.

"We've talked to people who have lost everything," she added.

Reimann was only a few kilometres from the fire and she said it was a frightening experience.

"We could see it coming over the mountain and even hear the fire burning."

Reimann grew up in Yellowknife and lived on Latham Island.

To date the fire has burned over 210 square kilometres and has destroyed or damaged over 240 homes. The fire continues to burn and some homes in Kelowna are still on alert.

"The threat is gone but the fire is still not out," said Reimann.