Little change on Princeton wildfire front

PENTICTON – The 3,300 hectare Princeton wildfire is now 60 per cent contained as evacuees wait to hear when they can go home.

B.C Wildfire says 178 personnel continue to fight the fire today, July 19, with the help of 11 helicopters. 

A Saskatchewan Incident Management Team has assumed command of the fire while Princeton fire department and other local authorities assist.

Burn outs, hand guarding and hose lays surrounding the fire continue to take place, with the possibility of lightning and rain in the forecast for the next two days.

The Regional District says no further evacuation notices or alerts have been issued since yesterday when 47 property owners along the Princeton-Summerland Road were allowed to return to their homes.

A manditory evacuation order remains in effect for 303 properties and another 304 are on evacuation alert.

The fire, located 10 kilometres north of Princeton, has resulted in the closure of the Trans Canada Trail from Erris tunnel to the Town of Princeton. Trail users can detour via the Princeton-Summerland Road, which reopened to traffic yesterday.

Regional District director Bob Coyne says evacuees want to get home but remain "amazingly positive and tolerant."

Two information meetings held in Princeton Fire Hall and at the Erris Fire Hall yesterday attracted 200 and 120 people respectively, he says.


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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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