forest fire
UPDATE: Crews hit brush fire in West Kelowna hard
WEST KELOWNA – Firefighters have knocked down a brush fire in West Kelowna off Westside Road this afternoon. Calls came into 911 at around 3:45 p.m. about several trees burning in a ravine at the edge of Bear Creek Road near Scott Crescent. West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund says his crews were taking no...
Air quality health advisory issued due to smoke
KAMLOOPS – The Ministry of Environment has issued an air quality advisory for Kamloops thanks to the smoke from forest fires burning in northern B.C. The air quality health index reading is currently a seven out of ten. The higher the number on the scale signifies a higher risk. A seven is considered a high health risk...
UPDATE: Smith Creek fire now 30 per cent contained
WEST KELOWNA – Some positive news from the fire lines at the Smith Creek wildfire burning in West Kelowna Saturday morning. B.C. Wildfire Management is reporting the 260 hectare blaze is now 30 per cent contained. The perimeter contained is the area of the fire closest to the 1,100 evacuated homes. The cooler temperatures, higher humidity...
UPDATE: More West Kelowna evacuees going home
WEST KELOWNA - Even more Smith Creek wildfire evacuees went home Sunday. As of 5 p.m., the staff at the Emergency Operation Centre lifted the evacuation order for more streets in the Shannon Woods nighbourhood in West Kelowna. The evacuation alert has been lifted for Bartley Road and Lenz Road. About 2,000 of the 2,500 West Kelowna residents...
Fire in southwest hills almost out
PENTICTON - A large slash pile fire that started on Wednesday night on the Southwest hills of Penticton is nearly out after if was left to burn out naturally. The Penticton Indian Band fire crew stood by the fire that was approximately 100 square feet and 20 feet high but because of the size of...
UPDATE: Joe Rich forest fire contained
KELOWNA – Fire crews have a handle on the forest fire burning in Joe Rich since Sunday afternoon. The fire, in the 8000-block of Sun Valley Road off Highway 33 east, is 100 per cent surrounded by a hose lay, according to B.C. Wildfire Management’s Kelsey Winter. “The fire is 6.2 hectare in size… there...
Botanie Creek wildfire evacuation alerts dropped
KAMLOOPS – The people living near the Botanie Creek wildfire north of Lytton are no longer under an evacuation alert. The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has rescinded the alert for the 120 people who were evacuated because of the blaze and allowed to return home just last week. It has also been dropped for those properties...
UPDATE: Wildfire near Lytton continues to roar out of control
THOMPSON-NICOLA - The ‘highly aggressive’ Botanie Road wildfire continues to threaten people's homes. The local regional district declared a state of emergency on Thursday and issued an evacuation order because of the immediate threat of the fire. About 150 people are out of their homes. The Botanie Road fire is 1.5 square kilometres in size...
UPDATE: Forest fire near Sugar Lake growing
LUMBY – A forest fire is burning just north of Sugar Lake has grown from 4 to 33 hectares but isn’t a threat to any communities or structures. Fire information officer Melissa Klassen says the blaze north west of Lumby is burning in heavy spruce. Two tanker groups from the air base in Kamloops dropped...
Stubborn wildfire near Oyama
LAKE COUNTRY – Lake Country firefighters found themselves back at the scene of a small wildfire in the hills above Oyama dealing with hot spots Sunday morning. The 0.5-hectare brush fire near Oyama Zipline on Oyama Lake Road was reported around 6 p.m. Saturday. Fire Information Officer Kayla Pepper says a 3-person initial attack crew was...