Fire crews containing blazes in Okanagan

Evacuation alerts rescinded for 800 properties around Mount Eneas fire

Little growth was seen on a handful of Okanagan wildfires Wednesday.

“There has been very little movement on these fires for the last day,” said Marg Drysdale, a BC Wildfire Service information officer. “Crews are doing very well on them, getting good containment lines around them.”

Crews will continue working on the fires until they are fully under control or out, she said.

The largest fire in the Okanagan, at Mount Eneas between Summerland and Peachland, remained static Wednesday at 1,800 hectares with 97 personnel on the ground, according to the BC Wildfire Service, which still had the blaze categorized as out of control.

However, officials were confident enough Wednesday to rescind evacuation alerts for approximately 800 properties in the fire area.

To the south, the Mount Conkle fire, about eight kilometres west of Summerland, also held steady at 118 hectares, with 32 sets of boots on the ground and the blaze considered held.

The Glenfir Road fire above Naramata was unchanged at 32 hectares with 32 personnel there.

The Goode’s Creek fire in Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park held fast at 577 hectares, while the Law Creek fire about six kilometres west of West Kelowna remained stable at 16 hectares.

It was a much different story in the Similkameen region, however, where two fires of note have been gaining strength.

The Snowy Mountain fire about 14 kilometres south of Keremeos was pegged at 1,530 hectares Wednesday, up from 1,360 hectares Monday, with no efforts being made to contain it due to its remote location and rugged terrain.

And the Placer Mountain fire 37 kilometres south of Princeton had grown to 520 hectares from 320 hectares Monday. The service had 22 personnel, four helicopters and eight pieces of heavy equipment at the scene.

The fire danger rating is classified as high throughout most of the Okanagan, with daytime highs in the mid-30s C range expected for at least the next week.

High temperatures increase the risks for firefighters, said Drysdale.

“More than anything, weather affects the health and safety of our crews,” she said. “They do get dehydrated very quickly.”

In particular, the firefighters working on the fires in Okanagan Mountain Park are working on hot rocks with little or no shade, she said.

“It is extremely hot there for them.”

In the next 10 days, Drysdale said, there is potential for a cold weather system to come through the region, which is a concern because of the winds that may accompany it.