Active wildfires in region at 44, new fire near Westwold

As of Sunday morning, there are 166 active wildfires in B.C., including 44 in the Kamloops Fire Centre and 65 in the Southeast Fire Centre.

The BC Wildfire Service reports one new fire in the North Okanagan near Upper Pringle Creek north of Westwold (north west of Vernon), which is spot sized with an unknown cause.

Evacuation orders for the Keremeos Creek wildfire southwest of Penticton were still in place as of Sunday morning.

The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen said Apex Mountain Resort, a portion of Green Mountain Road and several homes at the top of Sheep Creek Road will remain on evacuation order.

It says structural protection equipment also remains in place at the resort.

The Wildfire Service has listed the fire size at just over 67 square kilometres.

Meantime, the Wildfire Service says gusty winds are posing a challenge for wildland firefighters in the southeastern part of the province.

It says a blaze near the East Kootenay community of Roosville is predicted to grow as higher wind speeds increase fire activity and can change the direction of the blaze.

It says wind also reduces moisture, which makes fuels more susceptible to ignition.

The so-called Weasel Creek wildfire is one of six fires of note in the province and is burning at one-thousand 87 hectares on the Canadian side of the border.

(With files from The Canadian Press)

==

Another thunderstorm watch issued, new Okanagan wildfire breaks out
Aug. 12, 2022

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for the second straight day, covering the Southern Interior including all of the Okangan.

Environment Canada says the conditions could lead to the development of severe thunderstorms that could produce strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain.

The storm is likely develop late this afternoon and is expected to continue through this evening.

“Severe thunderstorm watches are issued when atmospheric conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms that could produce one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, torrential rainfall,” the advisory from Enviroment Canada stated. .

The Vernon area didn’t see any lightning or rain Thursday night, but strong winds knocked out power for several thousand customers in Vernon, Armstrong and Spallumcheen.

The B.C. Wildfire Service is waiting to see what the impact will be after about 1,200 lightning strikes hit the Kamloops Fire Centre since Thursday night.

That comes after more than 4,000 strikes in B.C. the day before.

The Wildfire Service says its common for lightning bolts to spark fires up to three days later, depending on the conditions, and people are asked to quickly report any smoke they may see to 9-1-1 or *5555 on a cell phone.

Meantime, a new wildfire has broken out on Richter Mountain, 17 kilometres west of Osoyoos, near the Canada-U.S border.

It’s listed at 40 hectares, and out of control with 33 personnel responding along with aerial resources.

It was caused by a motor vehicle crash between Osoyoos and Cawston.

---