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BC Wildfire Service using a number of methods to bring Okanagan blaze under control

KEREMEOS, B.C. — The BC Wildfire Service says it is using a combination of tools to control a blaze on the outskirts of the southern Okanagan region.
Canadian Press
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An aerial view of the Keremeos Creek wildfire is shown in a July 29, 2022 handout photo. Hot weather and dry conditions are the usual suspects in any wildfire season, but experts say a complex interplay of topography and unpredictable winds can create particularly challenging adversaries for firefighters. In British Columbia, shifting wind patterns have been a key concern for crews battling a fire in the South Okanagan which has forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes. Mary-Ann Jenkins, professor emeritus of atmospheric science at York University, Toronto, said fire generally moves in the same direction the wind is blowing. But mountains can complicate matters, she said. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-BC Wildfire Service **MANDATORY CREDIT**

KEREMEOS, B.C. — The BC Wildfire Service says it is using a combination of tools to control a blaze on the outskirts of the southern Okanagan region.

Information officer Mikhail Elsay had said controlled burns were scheduled for Sunday in a bid to rein in the large blaze that has been burning for more than a week.

The service had also assigned crews to put in sprinkler systems to protect properties in the northeast quadrant of the area.

The nearly 60-square-kilometre wildfire is located about 21 kilometres southwest of Penticton.

It has prompted an evacuation order of more than 500 properties and put more than 1,000 others under orders to be ready to leave at short notice.

The service has a crew of 381 firefighters, 16 helicopters and 43 pieces of heavy equipment to help fight the blaze.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2022.

The Canadian Press