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Fire

Driver snuffs out own car fire outside Vernon gas station

VERNON - An out-of-town driver’s quick thinking stopped a vehicle fire from being much worse than it was. Vernon Fire Chief Keith Green says a driver pulled into 7-Eleven on 39 Avenue Thursday around noon and noticed smoke coming out of the hood. “(He) used the gas station’s fire extinguisher to out the fire out...

Overnight fire contained to vehicle

KELOWNA — Firefighters were able to prevent a car fire from spreading to a home last night. Kelowna Fire Department was called shortly after 11 p.m. Dec. 3 to 1606 Lindsay Drive. Platoon Capt. Kelly Stephens says they found a car with flames coming from the engine compartment. It was in the driveway not far from...

Fire burns Enderby shop to the ground

ENDERBY - An Enderby dairy farmer suffered major losses in a fire early Monday morning. Enderby fire chief Kevin Alstad says the homeowner awoke to a loud bang about 1:20 a.m. When he looked out the door, he saw a detached shop near the house was consumed in fire. By the time 23 Enderby firefighters...

Homeless man’s tent goes up in flames on North Shore

KAMLOOPS – Firefighters quickly knocked down a tent fire on the beach behind the Riverside Gardens apartment building on the North Shore. One Kamloops Fire Rescue fire truck responded to the incident.  Assistant Chief Steve Kilmartin says no one was hurt. Kilmore says a witness at the scene said the tent, which was engulfed in...

Fire destroys Okanagan Falls duplex

Fire destroyed a duplex in downtown Okanagan Falls early Friday morning. Okanagan Falls Volunteer Fire Department was called to 1016 Main St. at approximately 2:33 a.m., where they found a duplex at the rear of the building fully involved. Members of the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department were also called in to assist. The fire has...

Vernon firefighters prepare to torch pine beetle deadfall

VERNON - The Vernon Fire Department is planning to fight fire with fire this month. In conjunction with the Ministry of Forests, Vernon Fire and Rescue Services will be burning 500 acres above the Rise Golf Course, extending back toward Canadian Lake Estates. The property has a large build-up of deadfall from mountain pine beetles...

Fire on Fairview contained and under investigation

PENTICTON - Flames poured through the windows of an apartment building on Fairview Road Thursday in the early evening. The fire was on the fourth floor of the Kirkland apartment building at 803 Fairview Road, according to Global News. One person was taken to hospital by ambulance before fire crews arrived. Their current condition is not known....

Fire crews fight flames at Kal Tire Place

VERNON - A large fire outside Kal Tire Place has been deemed suspicious in nature. Deputy fire chief Lawrie Skolrood says a trailer containing a large pile of tires appears to have been set on fire sometime before 7:30 p.m. Thursday. “With the temperature and time of night, there is no other real means,” Skolrood...

RCMP investigating suspicious Kelowna apartment fire

KELOWNA – A man was taken to hospital and the other residents of Sutherland Manor were evacuated from their homes Tuesday morning when fire broke out. Platoon captain Eric Simpson says the first fire crew to arrive at the apartment building at 560 Sutherland Ave. saw smoke coming from the top of the door at...

Fire in southwest hills almost out

PENTICTON - A large slash pile fire that started on Wednesday night on the Southwest hills of Penticton is nearly out after if was left to burn out naturally. The Penticton Indian Band fire crew stood by the fire that was approximately 100 square feet and 20 feet high but because of the size of...

Southwest hills ablaze in possible logging fire

PENTICTON - A fire that began burning on Penticton Indian Band land Wednesday night is being controlled by the Band Fire Department, however it will take a few days to burn out since it is too large a fire to put out.  Dispatch received calls about the fire on the Southwest hills just before 7...

City questions regional district over unpaid fire bill

VERNON - There’s some financial confusion between local governments about an unpaid firefighting bill. The City of Vernon invoiced the Regional District of North Okanagan for $78,777 in relation to fire protection services at a devastating landfill fire in August 2013. “The bills are still not paid,” Vernon mayor Rob Sawatzky says. “I’m a bit...

Suspicious Vernon fires are back

VERNON - A recent spike in suspicious fire activity has the community wondering if Vernon’s alleged serial arsonist is back. The city was hit with over 20 suspected arsons during the summer, from burnt grandstands to torched boats, but there hadn’t been any new fires since September until recently. A construction site suspiciously caught fire...

Second suspicious fire in four days worries Vernon Fire Department

VERNON - Authorities are investigating a second suspicious fire in four days. Firefighters fought a fully engulfed metal recycling bin blaze at the Interior Freight and Bottle Depot on 24 Avenue at around 9:30 p.m. Monday, deputy fire chief Lawrie Skolrood says. Crews managed to suppress the fire, which was called in by a resident...

Penticton gets two more fire fighters and home-base training

PENTICTON - The city is expanding its firefighting resources by adding three personnel, including a training officer, to the team. Two firefighters and a training officer will be hired to start January 1, 2015. Discussions with the Penticton Indian Band led the city to expand its coverage area and allow the band’s volunteer firefighters to...

Authorities investigate suspicious fire at Vernon construction site

VERNON - Police and the fire department are investigating a suspected arson at a construction site in Vernon last night. The fire department was dispatched around 9:50 p.m. Oct. 16 to the fire, located in a three-story building under construction in the 2700 block of 41 Avenue. “We caught it early, it could’ve been a...

Son fundraises for parents who lost home in fire

PENTICTON - The children of Penticton house fire victims are fundraising money to help get their parents back on their feet. Last Thursday, the house at 313 Norton Street went up in flames, taking down the roof and leaving much of the building destroyed. The couple living in the home were renters, and have been...

House fire takes down roof, everyone safe

PENTICTON - The roof of a Penticton home came crashing down in flames last night after flames originated in the home’s kitchen. Penticton Fire Department was called at 8:40 p.m. Thursday night to attend a possible kitchen fire at 313 Norton Street. Two engines and six fire fighters attended the scene, and two additional alarms...

RCMP investigate car fire at Boyd Autobody

PENTICTON - Police are investigating two arson cases from a local auto body shop, one which was successful in setting a car on fire. RCMP received a call around 4:40 a.m. Friday from a security guard at Boyd Autobody in Penticton. Someone broke into the shop and started a car fire, which has caused smoke...

Half of all wildfires caused by people this year

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A total of 169, or 49.9 per cent, of all wildfires in the Kamloops Fire Centre have been human-caused this year. Kayla Pepper of B.C. Wildfire says of the 339 fires in the fire centre we are about as close to half as you can get right now, though usually lightning fires outnumber...

Spallumcheen home burns to the ground

SPALLUMCHEEN – When fire crews arrived at a home in Spallumcheen Sunday night, half the house was already consumed by fire and the flames were roaring out of control. Armstrong and Spallumcheen fire chief Ian Cummings says they were called out just before 7 p.m. to a home on Demorest Road. It’s a long, narrow,...

UPDATE: Wildfire burning north of Princeton 90 per cent contained

PRINCETON - A wildfire north of Princeton is 90 per cent contained, as of Tuesday morning. The wildfire has grown to 182 hectares from the 110 ha estimated Monday morning. It is believed to be human caused, said Kayla Pepper, fire information officer with B.C. Wildfire. The fire was first reported Sunday at around 5...

Wildfire burning off Green Mountain Road 80 per cent contained

PENTICTON - The wildfire burning west of Penticton near Shingle Creek and Green Mountain Road is 80 per cent contained as of Tuesday morning.  The fire is estimated to be 18.5 hectares in size and was quite visible when it began burning late Monday afternoon. There were five firefighters working overnight, and 26 firefighters are...