UPDATE: Controlled burn conducted on Finlay Creek fire

PENTICTON – Crews working the Finlay Creek fire were able to conduct a controlled burn yesterday after the fire continued to increase in size on the steep slopes south of Mount Acland.

The controlled burn was initiated from machine guards that were constructed to provide a buffer between the active fire and guards.

Estimates following more accurate mapping of the fire put the blaze at 2,201 hectares and holding, according to B.C. Wildfire Communications Officer Heather Rice.

Rice says crews have had some success battling the fire in the last 24 hours, with some help from Mother Nature because of some rain fall yesterday evening. They received about 1 millimetre of rain which helped a little.

"Because of the controlled burn, we are fairly confident things should hold despite gusty winds," says Rice.

The blaze is now 25 per cent contained.

Crews will spend today, Sept. 9, mopping up hot spots following yesterday's controlled burn.

A crew of 116 personnel, including out of province firefighters from Ontario and Quebec on scene, along with heavy equipment and eight helicopters.

A fire camp for wildfire crews has been established in Summerland, Rice says.

The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen emergency operations media information officer Cameron Baughen said yesterday a partial reduction in properties affected by an evacuation advisory has been issued, although 76 properties in the Faulder area remain under alert.

Districts will be or have adjusted their evacuation alerts and some evacuation orders are still in place, says Rice. Also, B.C. Wildfire Services wants the public to know that there is an area restriction in place.

A mandatory notice for 55 properties in the Meadow Valley area remains in place.

The District of Summerland has also removed its evacuation alert for Garnet Valley properties, while evacuation alerts for 306 properties in Peachland and the Regional District of Central Okanagan have also been lifted.

— This story was updated at 4:15 p.m. Sept. 9, 2017 to add new information from the B.C. Wildfire Service.

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.