B.C. Wildfire Incident Commander Glen Burgess provided an update on the Okanagn fire situation in Peachland today, July 24, 2018.

(STEVE ARSTAD / iNFOnews.ca)

KELOWNA - B.C Wildfire Incident Commander Glen Burgess says Sunday’s merging burn with the Mount Eneas and Munro Creek fire was “100 per cent successful,” resulting in a much easier fire to work.

Burgess met with media this afternoon, July 24, to provide an update on the state of Okanagan wildfires. He said B.C. Wildfire was “extremely happy with the results” of the past few days efforts.

“We brought the two fires together to improve safety and reduce the fire perimeter. We met our objectives,” he said, adding most of the smoke visible this afternoon was coming from several fires still burning across Okanagan Lake, in Okanagan Mountain Park.

Burgess said the Mount Eneas fire has been reduced to a number of smouldering ground fires along Highway 97, with crews working mostly out of sight on the backside of the mountain.

“The fire is still out of control, but we aren’t anticipating any further problems or growth, even with the hot weather in the forecast,” he said.

The service is not reducing its firefighting effort in the area, Burgess added.

“Still we have a long, hot summer ahead,” he said. “It sits there benign, then a wind comes up. That’s our biggest concern."

Burgess said three separate fires burning on the east side of Okanagan Lake between Naramata and Kelowna are staying in the park, burning uphill and so far posing little threat. Fighting the fires is difficult, as they are burning in crevices and crags where crews can’t safely go. The rocky terrain also makes building a fire guard nearly impossible.

Burgess said the fire had not moved towards Kelowna in five days.

One fire is burning on Okanagan Mountain above Squally Point, the other two are burning as far south as the park’s southern boundary. Burgess says there is nothing in the area of value except an outfitters cabin.

No principal dwellings have been lost in any of the fires to date, although Burgess says a few outbuildings and vehicles were affected in the early stages of the Mount Eneas fire.

The Law Creek fire in Okanagan Mountain Park this afternoon, July 24, 2018, was producing more smoke than the Mount Eneas fire. The Law Creek fire is burning in crags and crevices in Okanagan Mountain Park and has not moved closer to Kelowna in five days.

(STEVE ARSTAD / iNFOnews.ca)

To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad or call 250-488-3065 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, 2018