Princeton wildfire suppression efforts winding down

PRINCETON – Continuing progress is being made on the Princeton wildfire, which is no longer considered a major threat.

B.C. Wildfire Service noted this afternoon, July 31, they will no longer be updating the fire as it is no longer considered a wildfire of note. The 3,278 hectare fire, holding at 100 per cent containment, is being worked by 61 firefighters and one helicopter.

Evacuation alerts will continue until further notice with respect to the Princeton wildfire, as local roads and trails reopen this week.

Regional district officials report today, July 31, Summers Creek and the Princeton-Summerland road is open with crews continuing clean up work on all roads affected by fire activity.  Short traffic delays may take place from time to time.

The regional district also reminds trail users on the KVR section of the Trans Canada Trail to exercise extreme caution when using the trail due to the high fire hazard that currently exists.

The regional district also reports wildfire activity north of Naramata and at the Naramata / Princeton boundary on July 30.

A single fire, located above Sutherland Road, was extinguished.

A wildfire burning 10 kilometres south of Canada in the Okanogan National Forest is contributing to smoky skies in the South Okanagan, and is expected to continue producing smoke over the area this week. The fire is being monitored by BC Wildfire Service.

Residential sandbag removal has begun in the regional district’s rural areas and adjacent band lands. A permission form must be submitted prior to removal from private property. They can be downloaded from the regional district website.


To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.
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.

Steve Arstad's Stories