Cooler weather helps crews working to contain huge South Okanagan wildfire

Favourable weather conditions are allowing crews battling the almost three square kilometre wildfire in the South Okanagan to get aggressive with the fight, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service.

“Crews are using a more aggressive approach now that the weather’s not so volatile,” fire information officer Bryan Zandberg said today, Aug. 2.

The Keremeos Creek wildfire, which was discovered Friday, July 29, grew substantially during the evening of Sunday, July 31. It is currently 2,790 hectares in size.

“Around 7:30 or 8, there was this big old plume – you could see it all up and down the (Okanagan) valley,” Zandberg said.

More smoke plumes can be expected again today, but they will hopefully be caused by planned ignitions which are scheduled along the east flank between now and tomorrow morning.

In preparation for ignitions operations, control lines will stretch from Highway 3A to the top of Sheep Creek Road. Control lines are also being established along the north side of Highway 3A to Green Mountain Road.

Structure protection will be established as it’s needed.

One structure was lost on July 29.

“Nothing’s been lost since then, we want to keep it that way,” he said. He added there is currently an adequate level of resources available to fight the fire.

“We’re quite able to ramp up personnel on the fire – that’s obviously a really good thing, hopeful it will continue.”

Yesterday's conditions presented challenges. But today, crews are able to intensify their efforts thanks to milder temperatures, with a high of 21 degrees Celsius in today’s forecast at Apex Mountain Resort.

“We’re going to do everything we can to prevent it from goring anymore.”

Zandberg said crews are keeping the fire contained to the north side of Highway 3A, but the risk of the fire crossing the road is always a concern.

Drive B.C. said Highway 3A, for 31.5 kilometres between Keremeos and Kaleden, is closed in both directions due to wildfire. No detours are available.

There is a total of 229 firefighters assigned to the job, as well as eight helicopters and four pieces of heavy equipment.

The cause is under investigation. 

Apex Mountain Resort, which is under evacuation order, has snow machines aimed at the wildfire as a protective measure. They can be live-streamed on the Apex website. Another webcam from Apex shows the wildfire in clear view from the top of a chairlift.

In addition to Apex, other nearby properties are under evacuation alerts and orders through the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen and the Penticton Indian Band.

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