Crews extinguish wildfires on the Penticton Indian Band reserve

PENTICTON – For the second time in two days, Penticton Indian Band and City of Penticton firefighters have been called to overnight wildfires on the reserve.

Penticton Deputy Fire Chief Chris Forster says crews responded to a couple of grass fires behind the band’s wellness centre at around 4:09 a.m. today, June 18. Forster says the fires were small in size, amounting to roughly half acre and were extinguished quickly.

The two departments also attended a wildfire that broke out on the reserve around 12:50 a.m. Sunday, June 16.

City firefighters accessed the blaze via Bing Drive at the top of the fire, while band crews attacked it from the bottom. Firefighters were on scene of the five hectare fire for around four hours.

The cause of both fires is under investigation.

Campers were in the vicinity of the Sunday morning blaze, and a recently burned vehicle was found in the burned area after the fire was extinguished.

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