Planned ignitions guide the Eagle Bluff fire south, away from communities

VANCOUVER – The BC Wildfire Service says the Eagle Bluff fire south of Okanagan Falls has grown to nearly 27 square kilometres in size.

Crews mapped the perimeter of wildfire and conducted planned ignitions on Friday evening, helping to direct the growth of the fire southeast towards safer, more workable terrain for ground crews.

Fire information officer Kyla Fraser says an evacuation alert remains in place and the fire is still classified as out of control, but crews are making good progress.

Right now, she says, the fire is moving away from communities and no structures are threatened at this time.

On Saturday afternoon a helicopter was expected to help build a fire retardant line in steep and rocky areas that pose challenges for ground crews.

The fire service has employed 169 firefighters, 15 helicopters and 19 pieces of heavy equipment to fight the blaze, and structure protection teams have been stationed throughout nearby communities as a precautionary measure.