Penticton wildfire base upgrades nearing completion

The Penticton fire base is nearing completion on a $2.5 million upgrade, just in time for fire season.

B.C. Wildfire Penticton Base spokesperson Rob Osiowy says a project to expand the facility’s classroom, training and office facilities on the west side of Airport Road should be ready by the end of the month, while work across the road on an upgraded warehouse and training space should be finished later in June.

“We’re looking forward to making the base a better place to work out of. The base is split in two, bisected by Airport Road. The east side will see an upgraded warehouse, which hasn’t been renovated for 30 years, and a double-wide trailer complex to provide more updated and modern office facilities for the 29 personnel who work out of the Penticton office,” he says.

An expanded locker room on the east side will provide some extra space for out of town fire crews.

“The upgrades were long overdue. It will make it easier for firefighters to do their jobs, and provide room for future personnel expansion, as well as provide room for additional resources over the busier parts of fire season,” Osiowy says.

As recently as last year, Osiowy had to use the Penticton Fire Department's Dawson Avenue firehall for nearly a month, when a large number of out of town firefighters arrived to help fight the fire.

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