VANCOUVER -- Fire crews in B.C.'s Okanagan are preparing for changes in the weather as they fight a wildfire that's estimated to be 2,000 hectares in size.
The blaze, which is burning near Okanagan Falls, was discovered Tuesday. It's estimated size quickly grew, leading to evacuation orders for hundreds of homes and evacuation alerts for thousands more.
At least one home has already been destroyed by the fire.
The latest size estimate was posted by BC Wildfire Services at about 11:15 a.m. Thursday.
Earlier Thursday morning, meteorologist with Environment Canada Colin Tam told CTV News that crews will need to prepare for winds from the north and a chance of showers throughout the day.
By Friday, a cold front is expected to move in, which could bring showers, thunderstorms and strong, 40 km/h winds, with gusts up to 60 km/h. Those winds are particularly concerning, Tam said, because they're coming from the south, which could blow the fire towards Penticton.
Besides some minimal showers Thursday and Friday, no other rain is expected for the foreseeable future, Tam said.
Nicole Bonnett, the onsite information officer for the fire, said crews are trying to understand if the fire is still growing and where. She told CTV News that visibility was extremely challenging on Wednesday and they're hoping for better conditions throughout the day.
From the scene, conditions have been relatively calm Thursday morning, with at least four helicopters on site helping to fight back the blaze with water from the lake.
Significant progress was made overnight on one of the fire's perimeters and crews are working hard to limit its growth on the city's edge.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's David Molko
