Crews work to get handle on wildfire burning near Penticton | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
Subscribe

Would you like to subscribe to our newsletter?

Current Conditions Cloudy  3.4°C

Penticton News

Crews work to get handle on wildfire burning near Penticton

The Skaha Creek wildfire is seen, Aug. 30, 2021 from Yorkton Avenue in Penticton.
Image Credit: Dan Walton

The 100 hectare out of control wildfire burning to the southwest of Penticton did not see any major growth overnight, according to B.C. Wildfire Service.

The Skaha Creek wildfire quickly grew yesterday, Aug. 30, due to the hot, dry and windy conditions, wildfire service information officer Roslyn Johnson said.

The wildfire’s size has not changed overnight and there has been no major growth, however it is highly visible from Penticton, Johnson said.

READ MORE: Kamloops pilot continues flyovers, shows charred landscape of wildfires north of Vernon

She said firefighters likely won’t see the same fire activity today as it will be cooler than yesterday, but “you’ll still likely see increased smoke as it warms up in the afternoon.”

Yesterday, the fire grew in the northern direction and to the east, she said.

The flanks of the fire that are closest to Penticton are the most important priority today, Johnson said.

Crews on the east flank are directly attacking the fire with suppression equipment, including water and are working to establish a fire guard.

READ MORE: Timelapse captures large plume of smoke coming from planned ignition in North Okanagan

Heavy equipment is working on the west and northern flanks. Helicopters and aerial support will be on the fire as needed, she said.

There are 53 personnel on site with 13 additional crew members arriving this afternoon, she said.

No evacuation alerts or orders are in place at this time but the wildfire service is monitoring the situation, Johnson said.


To contact a reporter for this story, email Carli Berry or call 250-864-7494 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.

News from © iNFOnews, 2021
iNFOnews

  • Popular kelowna News
View Site in: Desktop | Mobile