A wildfire sparked outside Peachland Thursday afternoon has spread to an estimated 30 hectares and forced the evacuation of a single home.
The affected residence is located in the 4700-block of MacKinnon Road in West Kelowna. Officials declared a local state of emergency to facilitate its evacuation.
The blaze broke out along Highway 97C near Trepanier Road around 2:30 p.m., and spread quickly despite a fast response from firefighters on the ground and in the air.
The public has been asked to avoid the area, and not to stop on the highway near the the forest fire zone to prevent hindering firefighting efforts.
Crews told CTV News that wind is making the fire difficult to fight.
"The guys have contained the fire at that top end and are protecting that house, but it's continuing to grow with the wind and the weather," said West Kelowna Fire Chief Wayne Schnitzler.
Roughly 35 fire personnel from the West Kelowna and Peachland fire departments are battling the blaze, along with structural fire crews from the BC Wildfire Management Branch.
There are three helicopters, two air tankers and four skimmers dispatched the the blaze.
For the latest updates, check the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations website.
