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UPDATE: Crews battling two wildfires near Oliver

UPDATE: Crews battling two wildfires near Oliver | iNFOnews.ca
Two wildfires near Oliver continue dto burn through the night as evacuation orders are issued by the regional district., The Testalinden Creek fire is one of two burning near Oliver, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015. Credit: James Putnam Twitter Photographer: Steve Arstad

PENTICTON – The fight continues today to get a handle on the pair of wildfires burning near Oliver, which have forced hundreds out of their homes and destroyed a house.

The wildfires broke out yesterday, Aug. 14, and grew quickly thanks to high winds pushing the flames through grass, sage and open timber, forcing the evacuation of 360 homes, and threatening farms and wineries.

B.C. Wildfire says the Wilsons Mountain fire, burning about a kilometre north of Oliver, is about 200 hectares in size this morning, while the Testalinden Creek fire is now about 1,300 ha. Both fires are not contained.

One house was destroyed in the Kilpoola area, according to Emergency Operations Centre.

Wildfire Service crews worked closely with local fire departments to protect structures in the area and slow the fire’s spread, fire information officer Kayla Pepper says.

About 60 firefighters are working the blazes with support from three helicopters, she says. Lighter winds today are helping with fire fighting efforts.

The cause of both fires is under investigation.

Highway 3 was closed in both directions from Osoyoos to Keremeos for several hours due to the wildfires, but has since reopened, according to Drive B.C.

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen has opened an emergency operations centre to co-ordinate its response. Emergency Social Services has also been activated at the Oliver Community Centre to help deal with evacuees.

Click here for the very latest on the evacuation orders and alerts.

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To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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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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