kayla pepper

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...

Warning of visible smoke from controlled burns in Lytton wildfire battle

LYTTON – Wildfire crews will be generating a lot of smoke as they conduct controlled burns in the fight against the forest fire burning near Lytton. Fire Information Office Kayla Pepper says the crews will be burning on the south and northeast sides of the Cisco Road Wildfire over the next four days. The smoke...

Early start to wildfire season in Southern Interior, numbers still below 10-year average

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A series of wildfires were ignited this past weekend as dry weather combined with warming temperatures to create conditions ideal for human-caused fires. B.C. Wildfire crews responded to four fires over the weekend, two in the Kamloops part of the fire centre and two in the southern tip. Information Officer Kayla Pepper says...

Forestry crew mopping up wildfire near Okanagan Connector

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – A human-caused wildfire sparked south of the Okanagan Connector Saturday afternoon is being mopped up by a Wildfire Management crew today. Fire information officer Kayla Pepper says an initial attack crew of 13 firefighters responded to the blaze which grew to 11-hectares in size near Starshine Way Road, north of Missezula Lake yesterday...

Smokey skies from fires in United States, northern B.C.

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Kamloops and Vernon residents woke up to the sight, smell and taste of smoke on Wednesday morning. Fire information officer Kayla Pepper says the smoke is coming from wildfires in the northern part of the United States and from the Prince George and Cariboo fire centres. Pepper says the smoke is currently trapped...

Air quality advisory remains in place

WAITING ON THE WEATHER TO CHANGE THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - It is mid-November and yes, that is smoke in the air. Unlike the summer when large wildfires in northern B.C. caused air quality advisories the smoke visible throughout the region is due to open burning. “There are hundreds of burn registrations issued,” Kayla Pepper of B.C. Wildfire...

Crews work overnight to calm blaze between Oliver and Osoyoos

PENTICTON - A wildfire continues to burn between Osoyoos and Oliver in the Inkaneep and Mica Creek area. The fire is estimated to be 18 hectares in size as of Tuesday morning. It is burning Northeast of Osoyoos and Southeast of Oliver. No structures are threatened. There were 19 personnel on site Monday plus two...

Crews chasing abandoned campfires after ban ends

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The first weekend after the campfire ban was lifted, B.C. Wildfire crews were called to put out abandoned campfires across the region that could have resulted in much larger fires. “We had nine abandoned campfires, we definitely did see the number of calls go up,” Fire Information Officer Kayla Pepper says. “It is...

Hot, dry June could lead to more fires in July

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Hot, dry and stormy. June was not an ideal month throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre and concerns July could be a very active fire season are still very real. Overall temperatures were slightly above normal and slightly less rain fell. Combined with periods of lightning activity this led to more than 40 new...

Wildfire south of city producing smoke

KAMLOOPS — A fire on Long Lake Road in the Knutsford area has been contained at 15.6 ha but is expected to continue producing smoke today. B.C. Wildfire Information Officer Kayla Pepper says the fire was reported early yesterday afternoon and a sustained action crew along with two initial attack crews responded to guard and...