White Rock Lake wildfire smouldering; smoke more visible from Vernon

The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) says the White Rock Lake wildfire has been showing mostly Rank 1 behaviour today.

Residents have commented on social media about the fire being more visible on the southeast flank near Okanagan Lake, and more visible from areas of Vernon.

“On our scale of 1 to 6, Rank 1 means a low, smouldering ground fire, a surface fire. I haven’t had any indication of increasing activity but we are coming up into the heat of the day so we may see a a bit more,” said Taylor MacDonald, information officer with the BCWS.

MacDonald told Vernon Matters crews and structure protection personnel are working in the Westside Road area where the fire is close to properties.

“When the conditions are suitable, like they were today, the crews are using direct attacking methods with water and hand ignitions to secure the fire perimeter, and working to secure the fire perimeter in that area,” MacDonald added.

MacDonald said today was a “relatively quiet day” on the fire.

“That’s with the Rank 1 fire activity, and it hasn’t been overly hot or windy as we have seen, but we are expecting that to increase throughout the week with hotter temperatures and stronger winds tomorrow and Wednesday.”

There has been no change to the fire size estimate since Sunday, still at 55,700 hectares for the fire which is believed to have been lightning-caused on July 13.

Okanagan Indian Band chief Byron Louis is not aware of any structures being lost on his reserve as the fire moved in on Westside Road on the evening of Aug. 6.

“If any structures were lost, it could have been above what is called the Beau Park area, above Whiteman’s Creek. There is a number of structures that are up in the canyon into Beau Park. If there was any structures lost, it would have been through there,” Louis told Vernon Matters.