forest fire

Gusty wind a concern for wildfire crews battling blaze near Kelowna

KELOWNA – The 194-hectare fire burning southeast of Kelowna is completed surrounded by a fire guard, but strong winds in the forecast could change that. The weather system moving through the Okanagan today, Aug. 29, is bringing rain, but also very strong winds. Fire information officer Melissa Klassen says there is a machine guard around...

VIDEO: Boaters get in way of water bombers on Okanagan Lake

KELOWNA – The forest fire burning in the Little White mountain area southeast of Kelowna has more than tripled in size today, plus efforts to fight the blazer are being hampered by boaters on Okanagan Lake. Calls about a big plume of black smoke southeast of Kelowna this morning, Aug. 27, sparked an immediate response...

Possibility of ’ember showers’ from U.S. fire causes Grand Forks evacuation alert

GRAND FORKS – An evacuation alert has been issued for some residents of Grand Forks due to the possibilty of embers being blown across the border from the 19,000 hectare Stickpin wildfire in Washington State. The alert was issued today, Aug. 26 ahead of strong winds expected in the coming days, according to a post...

Behind the line at the Shelter Cove wildfire

KELOWNA – The Shelter Cove wildfire along Westside Road continues to grow, however Wildfire B.C. says homes and other structures are not threatened and they are confident they will have it under control soon. The fire, which was first reported Monday afternoon, is not yet contained and continues to burn roughly 430 hectares of dry,...

Campfire bans in effect this weekend for B.C. Interior

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Due to an elevated risk of fire across the Interior of B.C., the Kamloops Fire Centre has banned all open fires, including campfires, as of noon on Friday, July 3. Kelsey Winter of B.C. Wildfire says the step is being taken to prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety around Penticton, Kelowna, Vernon...

Wildfire crews hopping with 16 new fires on weekend

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Almost half of the 16 new wildfires sparked in the Thompson-Okanagan region over the weekend were preventable because people caused them. Kelsey Winter with B.C. Wildfire Management says seven of the fires crews have either put out, or are currently working to put out, have been listed as human caused. The rest of...

FINAL UPDATE: Crews extinguish Lake Country wildfire

LAKE COUNTRY – B.C. Wildfire Management hit a small blaze in Lake Country yesterday afternoon and overnight hard. Fire information officer Kelsey Winter says the fire near Posthill Lake Road in Winfield is 100 per cent contained as of this morning, June 28. She says the wildfire was called in at about 2 p.m. on...

FINAL UPDATE: Wildfire near Zipzone Peachland contained

PEACHLAND – Wildfire Management threw everything they had at wildfire above Peachland this afternoon and it paid off. The blaze is now 100 per cent contained. Smoke from the fire near Zipzone Peachland on Brenda Mines Road was spotting at about 11:30 a.m., June 27. It grew to three hectares in size before crews and...