Clear skies makes it possible to have 17 helicopters in the air attacking Central Okanagan wildfires.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/BC Wildfire Service
August 23, 2023 - 12:45 PM
Rainfall in and around the McDougall Creek Wildfire ranged from 2 mm up to almost 20 mm and greatly aided firefighting efforts overnight.
But there were still active, very visible flames at the same time.
“The rain is clearly helpful,” Brad Litke, the incident commander for BC Wildfires, said at a news conference today, Aug. 23. “What that tends to do is help extinguish some minor spot fires. It really makes an impact on the fine fuels – so that’s the surface litter. That’s the primary driver for spot fires when they catch and they begin to accelerate.
“The other big driver that often gets overlooked is the relative humidity so, when you have rain you’re getting close to 100% relative humidity and that is a major driver in fire behavior, both in a positive and a negative way.”
The cleared skies means 17 helicopters are able to actively attack the three Central Okanagan fires, together called the Grouse Complex.
Crews are making good progress and may be able to classify the 12,270 ha McDougall Creek Wildfire as being held in the next 24-48 hours, Litke said.
Still, West Kelowna Fire Rescue Chief Jason Brolund said, there were visible flames burning in the hills last night.
It’s no longer necessary for the public to report every siting of smoke or fire in the area.
“If you’re seeing smoke or small amounts of glowing within the fire’s perimeter, we’re aware of those,” Brolund said. “We have members on the ground. However, if you see something outside the fire’s perimeter or you see a significant amount of smoke or flame inside the perimeter that might indicate that a house is on fire, for example, we need to continue to have those reported to 911.”
READ MORE: People will find out online today if their homes were lost in Central Okanagan wildfires
On the 794 ha Walroy Lake Wildfire in Kelowna, crews are working on a “100 foot black line,” which means fully extinguishing the fire for 100 feet from the furthest edges of the fire inwards. That work is expected to be completed tomorrow.
The Clarke Creek Wildfire in Lake Country is estimated at 370 ha.
The weather is expected to cooperate further today with high temperatures of only 22 Celsius and light winds from the southwest in the afternoon, although they could gust up to 40 km/h.
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