Wildfire evacuation ordered in the Oliver area
OLIVER — A wind-fuelled wildfire in British Columbia’s southern Okanagan has prompted authorities to order the evacuation of 27 properties, although no homes were threatened Friday.
The 37-square-kilometre Testalinden Creek fire was discovered Aug. 14, is 60 per cent contained and is currently burning about seven kilometres south of Oliver.
The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen issued an evacuation order for the properties Friday, upgrading an evacuation alert that went out Thursday.
At least 250 properties, including homes, remain on alert, meaning residents might be ordered to leave at a moment’s notice.
Heather Rice, onsite fire information officer for the B.C. Wildfire Service, said winds have been pushing the flames north but none of the 27 properties was immediately threatened.
“The wind is blowing from the south, so we always want to give people a lot of notice when it gets windy because it can be so unpredictable,” she said.
Cameron Baughen, a regional district spokesman, said people affected by the evacuation order can report to a local community centre for emergency social services.
The evacuation order is the second to be issued for the Testalinden Creek fire, Baughen said.
The wildfire service said 232 firefighters, 11 helicopters and 21 pieces of heavy equipment are battling the flames, and the fire is one of 169 fires burning across the province.
Environment Canada has issued a special air-quality statement for the region and recommends residents avoid strenuous outdoor activities and get medical help if they have difficulty breath- ing, chest pains or other health concerns.
Smoke from the Stickpin fire in nearby Washington state has also blanketed the Okanagan Valley.
Environment Canada forecast showers and a risk of thunderstorms today and showers on Sunday. “The current forecast is calling for a bit of a cooling trend and so we are hoping to see a bit of wind shift and perhaps some cooler weather and even some moisture,” Rice said.