Penticton news
Check those campfire plans if you’re camping in the south Okanagan
PENTICTON - Campers planning a campfire this weekend in the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen may need to rethink those plans. While the campfire ban was lifted earlier this week on lands under jurisdiction of the B.C. Wildfire Service, it will not affect the regional district’s temporary open fire ban, which remains in effect. All...
Judge holds out hope for rehabilitaton of drug dealer
PENTICTON - A man's troubled past and his desire to rehabilitate himself convinced a judge to give a convicted drug dealer a break in Penticton Supreme Court today, September 2. Judge Gordon Weatherill handed down a sentence of three years, less time served, to Grant McEwen, who was convicted Feb. 4, 2015 of unlawfully possessing...
Two teens, ages 14 and 18, arrested for murder in Vernon death
VERNON - Police have arrested two teenagers for second degree murder in the death of Jason Hardy, whose body was found in Polson Park last week. One of the teens is a 14 year old male. He and 18-year-old Brandon Wellington were arrested Aug. 31. Both are residents of the Greater Vernon area, RCMP Const....
UPDATE: U.S. wildfire crosses border into Okanagan
UPDATE: 4:49 a.m., Friday, Aug. 14, 2015 The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen has now rescinded the evacuation order for residents of Nine Mile Place on Anarchist Mountain due to a reduced threat of wildfire. Nine Mile Place, along with residents of Raven Hill Road and Raven Hill Place, will remain on evacuation alert due to...
UPDATE: Evacuation order expands near Testalinden Creek wildfire
PENTICTON - The evacuation order issued earlier this afternoon for residents near the Testalinden Creek wildfire has been expanded to include recreational areas and Crown land. The recreational areas around Burnell (Sawmill) Lake, Ripley Lake and Madden Lake, to the west of Oliver have been placed within the expanded evacuation order today, Aug. 28. As...
The danger of drones in wildfire zones
PENTICTON - One of the members of the B.C. Wildfire aircrew who spotted the drone flying over the Testalinden Creek fire near Oliver Sunday says it was pure luck they saw the unmanned aerial vehicle or UAV. The errant drone prompted an immediate grounding of eight helicopters and five planes, and as a result, the...
ELECTION 2015: Federal NDP leader to make campaign stops in Thompson-Okanagan
PENTICTON - The leader of the federal New Democratic Party will bring his campaign machine to the Thompson-Okanagan next week. Tom Mulcair will be making campaign stops in Penticton and Kamloops, according to a media release. A political rally will be held at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre at 273 Power Street on Monday,...
Quick response stops South Okanagan wildfire
PENTICTON - A rapid response and lack of wind helped firefighters gain a quick upper hand on a wildfire southwest of Kaleden last night. Kaleden fire chief Darlene Bailey says firefighters were called to a smoke sighting near Partington and White Lake Roads at around 6:30 p.m., August 8. They arrived to find a Rank...
UPDATE: Crews battling two wildfires near Oliver
PENTICTON – The fight continues today to get a handle on the pair of wildfires burning near Oliver, which have forced hundreds out of their homes and destroyed a house. The wildfires broke out yesterday, Aug. 14, and grew quickly thanks to high winds pushing the flames through grass, sage and open timber, forcing the...
Uneasy calm in Oliver after frantic night firefighting and evacuating
PENTICTON - Hundreds of people remain out of their homes as crews continue to battle the two wildfires in the Oliver area today. There is an uneasy calm after the frantic firefighting and evacuations last night. Smoke plumes dot the mountainsides west of the community today, Aug. 15, after the Wilsons Mountain and Testalinden Creek fires...
Controlled burn operations continue on Testalinden Creek fire
PENTICTON - Fire fighters on the Testalinden Creek and Wilsons Mountain fire continued to make progress on the fire front today. B.C. Wildfire spokesperson Noelle Kekula says the Testalinden Creek fire is now estimated to be 1,850 hectares in size, at 40 per cent containment. It is currently being worked by 126 firefighters, 10 helicopters...
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...
Heavy smoke blankets Okanagan; the rest of southern B.C. gets smoke haze
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Smoke from the huge forest fires burning in Washington State pumped into the southern Interior yesterday evening has been trapped in the valleys by a temperature inversion. The Okanagan is getting the worst of the smoke with visibility down to less to a kilometre in some areas this morning, Aug. 23. Environment Canada,...
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...
‘Too soon’ say critics of decision to lift campfire ban
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Some fire-shocked B.C. residents are questioning the decision by the Ministry of Forests to lift the campfire ban that has been in place since early July. The ministry announced Monday afternoon the ban would be lifted on Crown lands and campsites in the South East and Kamloops fire centres and many communities and regional districts...