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Bc Wildfire

VIDEO: Boaters get in way of water bombers on Okanagan Lake

KELOWNA – The forest fire burning in the Little White mountain area southeast of Kelowna has more than tripled in size today, plus efforts to fight the blazer are being hampered by boaters on Okanagan Lake. Calls about a big plume of black smoke southeast of Kelowna this morning, Aug. 27, sparked an immediate response...

Overnight brush fire on highway north of Vernon ‘could’ve been a different story’

SPALLUMCHEEN - Emergency crews took no chances with a brush fire burning on a slope off Highway 97 Wednesday night. Armstrong-Spallumcheen fire chief Ian Cummings says the half-acre blaze was reported just after 9 p.m., Aug. 26, just north of Greenhow Road on Highway 97. “It was quite visible, there was pretty high flames. We...

Smoky skies continue, no end in sight to fire season

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - With smoke-filled skies and reports of new fires almost every day, it begs the question that’s on everyone’s mind: When will this end? “It’s a good question. There is no hard and fast measure that tells us when things are done. Every season is its own animal,” Kevin Skrepnek says. And B.C. Wildfire’s...

Smoke wreaks havoc on already-weakened hearts and lungs

SOUTHERN INTERIOR - Looks like the smokey skies will be with us until at least tomorrow and that means more discomfort for those with chronic heart and respiratory problems. “When we talk about smokey skies, we’re talking about the tiny solid particles that remain suspended in the air. The major concern is particles smaller than...

B.C. crews begin work on Washington wildfire

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - B.C. Wildfire firefighters have begun work on a Washington-based wildfire inching its way toward the Canadian border. With five kilometres left before reaching Canada, B.C. crews have been deployed to suppress the Stickpin Fire which is now estimated to be 19,240 hectares in size. Plans so far are for crews to assess the...

Pair of small fires burning in Joe Rich

KELOWNA - A pair of small wildfires have ignited south of Joe Rich, not far from a much bigger fire in early July. Fire information officer Kayla Pepper says eight B.C. Wildfire personnel are working the two fires which are burning approximately half a kilometre apart south of Mission Creek near McCulloch Road. Pepper says...

UPDATE: Crew mopping up after wildfire near Brenda Mines

WEST KELOWNA - B.C. Wildfire is moping up a wildfire about five kilometres south of the Brenda Mines, near Peachland Creek. Fire information officer Kelsey Winter says an air tanker used fire retardant to box in the 0.5 hectare fire northwest of Peachland, named the Boliver Forestry Service Road fire. Once that was in place,...

Smoke over Southern Interior from Coastal Fire Centre

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Smoke drifting into the Southern Interior is likely coming from the 1,370-hectare Harrison Lake fire that has been burning for just over a week now. As of 4 p.m. the air quality health index was sitting at a low rating throughout the region but Melissa Klassen of B.C. Wildfire says the smoke rolling...

Big fires down but not out in Kamloops Fire Centre

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The only two wildfires of note in the Kamloops Fire Centre have been downgraded to patrol status. Shelter Cove fire off Westside Road near Kelowna and Bolean Lake fire near Falkland were downgraded August 5 and will now be monitored by crews of five firefighters. “Patrol status means they are done active fire...

Drones flying over Westside Road wildfire halt air operations

WEST KELOWNA – Several people have been flying drones over the Westside Road wildfire today, forcing B.C. Wildfire to stop flying helicopters, which are supporting firefighters on the ground. The RCMP have been called in to investigate. Fire information officer Melissa Klassen says the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles have been flying in the Flight Restricted area...

UPDATE: Wildfire near West Kelowna under control, contained

WEST KELOWNA – B.C. Wildfire hit a blaze near West Kelowna hard and fast yesterday afternoon, bringing the fire under control within hours. The fire was spotted around 2:30 p.m., July 31, above Carre Road off Glenrosa Road on the way to Crystal Mountain. West Kelowna Fire crews backed up 20 firefighters from B.C. Wildfire...

Fire risk high and heading higher into B.C. Day long weekend

DON'T BE STUPID WITH FIRE THIS LONG WEEKEND THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - There are currently two fires of note and more than a dozen active fires burning in the Kamloops Fire Centre and with yet another hot, dry week ahead of us the fire danger rating is quickly heading into the extreme level throughout the region once...

Coldstream Creek fire completely contained, crews mopping up

ASHCROFT - The Coldstream Creek fire between Ashcroft and Logan Lake is now 100 per cent contained while B.C. Wildfire crews focused on mop up efforts today.  Kelsey Winter, a fire information officer with the province, says crews spent the day, July 27, cleaning up the perimeter of the 250-hectare fire and falling damaged trees...

UPDATE: Kal Park wildfire under control

COLDSTREAM - Firefighters from B.C. Wildfire already have a fire in Kalamalka Provincial Park under control after reports of a smoke plume around Juniper Bay earlier this afternoon. Fire information officer Kelsey Winter says Coldstream Fire Department crews are on the scene along with an initial attack crew from B.C. Wildfire. Winter says the rank...

Grass fire burning near Vernon landfill

VERNON - Emergency crews are descending upon a new grass fire in Vernon. The fire was reported just before 5 p.m. today, July 23 on Birnie Road, near the landfill, and is an estimated two hectares in size. The Vernon Fire Department is at the scene and has requested back up from B.C. Wildfire. Fire...

Evacuation alert lifted for residents under Coldstream Creek fire

ASHCROFT - The Thompson-Nicola Regional District Emergency Operations Centre has been advised by the Wildfire Management Branch that the imminent risk of danger to life and properties due to the Coldstream Creek wildfire between Ashcroft and Logan Lake north of Highway 97C has diminished at this time. The Evacuation Alert issued at 1730 hours on...

Evacuation alert ends for Adams Lake fire

VAVENBY - The Thompson-Nicola Regional District Emergency Operations Centre has been advised by the Wildfire Management Branch that the imminent risk of danger to life and properties due to the Adams West wildfire on Adams River at the north end Adams Lake has diminished at this time. The Evacuation Alert issued at 1615 hours on...

Shelter Cove fire remains steady during the day

WEST KELOWNA - B.C. Wildfire has been hitting smoke on the south flank of the Shelter Cove fire with air tankers but other than that, not much has changed today in the 430-hectare blaze. The evacuation order continues for 70 homes along Westside Road which is closed in both directions between Cinnabar Creek and La...

Crews tackling three wildfires of note near Kamloops

KAMLOOPS - Three fires of note in the Kamloops Fire Zone are in various stages following recent suppression activities by fire crews. The Coldstream Creek fire between Ashcroft and Logan Lake is 250 hectares in size. Fire information officer Kelsey Winter says crews managed to block structures threatened by the fire near Highway 97C. The...

Coldstream Creek fire near Ashcroft mapped at 250 hectares

ASHCROFT - A lightning-caused wildfire between Ashcroft and Logan Lake has been mapped at 250 hectares while residents at 28 properties nearby are under evacuation alert. Kayla Pepper, a fire information officer with B.C. Wildfire, says the fire west of Coldstream Creek was estimated at 600 ha last night July 20 but once crews mapped the...