The Thomas Creek wildfire near Okanagan Falls, July 14, 2021.
Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Roderick Campbell
July 30, 2021 - 9:18 AM
A wildfire near Okanagan Falls has grown to 8,214 hectares mostly on the fire’s northern flank.
The Thomas Creek wildfire, located to the east of Okanagan Falls, was last listed at 7,910 hectares yesterday, July 29. The B.C. Wildfire Service was able to get a more accurate mapping of the fire last night.
Yesterday, there was some increased fire behaviour and crews established a fire guard along the north and northeast sections of the fire. Today, there’s plans to have a small ignition if the wind cooperates, said Shannon Street, B.C. Wildfire Service information officer.
“We want it to burn... towards where the fire is already burning. We’re also expecting to get maybe a little bit of thunderstorms this afternoon that might come with some precipitation so that might affect ignition operations as well,” she said.
The increase in temperatures today and tomorrow may bring in the dry lighting and increased winds, she said.
Firefighters have also been making good progress establishing guards along the south and southeast of the fire, and the guards have been holding, Street said.
There are 23 firefighters, 33 military personnel, with 12 danger tree assessors and fallers and eight support staff on site today, she said.
There are also six helicopters on site that will also support the planned ignition if it goes ahead.
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