The Nk'Mip Creek wildfire is pictured in this Aug. 15, 2021 photo from the BC Wildfire Service.

Image Credit: BC Wildfire Service

The Nk’Mip Creek wildfire is burning 2.5 kilometres west of Mt. Baldy Resort and two kilometres south of the peak.

While winds were causing extreme fire behaviour and high rates of spread yesterday, Aug 15, the flames jumped past containment guards around 4 p.m. The fire is burning eastbound near the western base of Mount Baldy, and is burning upslope towards the top of the mountain.

BC Wildfire Service fire information officer Luke Robinson said it's too soon to say if the fire will reach the resort.

In the event that the flames do manage to reach Mt. Baldy Resort, crews have contingency plans they will try and implement, Robinson said, including structural protection personnel and equipment set up throughout the village.

Crews working in the Okanagan complex had to spread themselves thinner after learning about a the new Mt. Law wildfire which is burning a short drive up Highway 97 near Peachland and West Kelowna.

“We dispatched crews from our complex to assist the incident command at that fire,” Robinson said, adding that local fire departments are also responding to Mt. Law.

Thanks to the 96 Mexican firefighters working on Nk’Mip as well as the 58 members of Canadian Armed Forces helping out on Thomas Creek, the Okanagan complex was in a position to lend a hand, he said.

There are 123 addresses which remain on evacuation order and 34 addresses are on evacuation alert in Electoral Area E/West Boundary. A full list of addresses as well as maps of the evacuation order and alert areas in the Regional District Kootenay Boundary are available here.

READ MORE: Significant structure damage caused by wildfires in Central Okanagan

Right now it’s too soon to say whether or not the Mt. Law wildfire will become the responsibility of the Okanagan complex.

It wasn’t all bad news for the Okanagan complex yesterday. Robinson said there was subdued fire activity yesterday on the Thomas Creek wildfire even with the extreme weather.

And the Brenda Creek wildfire – albeit classified as held since Aug. 5 – was also subdued yesterday.

“We saw significant winds up there but no more flare-ups,” he said.

Nk’Mip Creek has reached an estimated 17,812 hectares. Assigned to that wildfire are 217 firefighters (Including 96 Mexican Firefighters), 11 structural protection personnel,  34 support staff,  39 pieces of heavy equipment and seven helicopters.

Thomas Creek is at 11,771 hectares, and is fighting it are 75 firefighters Including 58 Canadian Armed Forces personnel), 34 support staff, 27 pieces of heavy equipment and four 4 helicopters.

Mt. Law was estimated at 200 hectares as on Sunday evening but has likely grown since then. For more on evacuation orders or alerts associated with the wildfire go here.

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