Wildfire
One house lost as crews work to contain Botanie Creek fire
KAMLOOPS - Firefighters were able to contain a small area of the wildfire north of Lytton this weekend, but not before a house was consumed by the uncontrolled blaze. “There are two properties affected,” B.C. Wildfire Fire Information Officer Melissa Klassen says. “Unfortunately one was a house. It’s devastating. The resident has been notified by...
Crews continue to battle Murray Lake fire
KAMLOOPS - Crews continue to establish a guard around the perimeter of a 340 hectare fire just west of the Coquihalla Highway today, a week after the fire was first discovered. In total 70 crew members are on site south of Merritt, along with nine pieces of heavy equipment and five helicopters working to establish...
UPDATE: Apex wildfire now 60 per cent contained
PENTICTON - The wildfire on Apex mountain has burned 345 hectares and is now 60 per cent contained. The evacuation alert issued Wednesday remains in place for the lower portions of Green Mountain and Apex Mountain Roads, though it has been lowered to nine properties from 13. B.C. Wildifre has also reduced the amount of resources...
UPDATE: Boot Hill fire partially contained
PENTICTON - A fire burning 30 kilometres southwest of Penticton near Lookout Mountain is now 50 per cent contained. As of Saturday night the fire is mapped at 100 hectares, down from the 138 ha it was thought to be Friday, and was caused by lightning. It is was first discovered Monday, July 14 and...
Fires rage across province
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Firefighting resources are being juggled and reassigned as British Columbia's Wildfire Management Branch handles several blazes, including one that forced about 2,500 people from their homes. The Smith Creek fire near West Kelowna raged to an estimated 400 hectares by Friday morning, only a day after an evacuation order was issued for the...
UPDATE: Aggressive Murray Lake fire partially contained
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - An aggressive fire south of Merritt near Murray Lake is now 30 per cent contained, though an evacuation order for all properties adjacent to the lake remains. The Thompson Nicola Regional District issued the state of emergency and evacuation order around 9 p.m. Wednesday due to the potential threat. The evacuation order covers...
UPDATE: Aggressive fire near Coquihalla toll booth prompts evacuation alert
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - An evacuation alert has been issued and B.C. Wildfire is keeping crews off of a fire three kilometres west of the old toll booth along the Coquihalla Highway because it's just too dangerous. “It’s displaying aggressive behaviour, a rank five. It has an organized flame front and is spreading quickly,” Fire Information Officer...
Evacuations ordered in Botanie Creek wildfire
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District is issuing a Declaration of State of Local Emergency in Electoral Area "I" (Blue Sky Country) and an Evacuation Order for residents on Botanie Creek Road due to the potential threat to life and health from the Botanie Creek Wildfire north of Lytton. The fire is up to 470 ha and B.C. Wildfire has no...
Fire closes Mt. Boucherie Park
KELOWNA - An interface fire Tuesday afternoon has prompted closure of Mt. Boucherie Park until fire crews finish putting out hot spots and the district can assess the risk. The fire began around 3 p.m. Tuesday and quickly grew to just over four hectares. West Kelowna fire crews were aided by B.C. Wildfire air tankers...
UPDATE: Wildfire burning southwest of Oliver
OLIVER - A wildfire southwest of Oliver has damaged two buildings but no homes or residents. The fire located 8 kilometres southwest of Oliver near Mount Kobau was called in at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday and is 8.2 hectares in size as of Wednesday morning. The fire is 100 per cent contained. There are currently 14...
Fires becoming more aggressive
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - There have been more than 25 wildfires in the Kamloops Fire Centre in the past two days but most of the smoke in the air is coming from the more than 36,000 hectares burning in northern B.C. Just yesterday crews battled fires at Apex Mountain in Penticton, Mt. Boucherie in West Kelowna and...
Sugar Lake wildfire triples in size
VERNON - A wildfire that was an estimated 33 hectares in size over the weekend tripled overnight. Fire information officer Melissa Klassen says the lightning-caused fire raging just north of Sugar Lake is now burning 107 hectares of timber. While the fire grew Sunday night, Klassen says the latest figure is the most accurate because...
Thefts and fires in Osoyoos can be easily avoided
OSOYOOS - RCMP say the biggest problems in Osoyoos are ones that can be avoided with a little extra care. There have been numerous thefts from unlocked vehicles and sheds, and unlocked vehicles with keys left inside. Two dirt bikes and a motorcycle were stolen from a locked, detached garage in the Spruce Court area...
Campfire bans begin Wednesday
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - B.C. Wildfire is issuing a campfire ban beginning Wednesday, July 16 following a perfect storm of hot, dry and stormy weather. The ban, which begins at noon Wednesday, covers the entire fire centre and is in place until further notice. The majority of the fire centre is sitting at a high to extreme...
UPDATE: Forest fire near Sugar Lake growing
LUMBY – A forest fire is burning just north of Sugar Lake has grown from 4 to 33 hectares but isn’t a threat to any communities or structures. Fire information officer Melissa Klassen says the blaze north west of Lumby is burning in heavy spruce. Two tanker groups from the air base in Kamloops dropped...