Some evacuation orders lifted near Keremeos, B.C., wildfire
Evacuation orders were lifted for about 50 properties near a wildfire in Keremeos, B.C., as crews expect to see subdued conditions over the coming days.
The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen announced the change to evacuation orders and alerts for select properties along Highway 3A Wednesday morning.
It pertains primarily to properties in the areas of Twin Lakes Road and White Lake Road.
For properties that were under evacuation order, an alert is instead in place. There are still 493 properties on evacuation order and more than 900 on evacuation alert.
Mikhail Elsay with BC Wildfire Service said during a morning update the changes were recommended based on "current and anticipated fire behaviour."
"Crews have been able to diligently mop up and reduce the risk of wildfire in that section," he said.
Overnight, a drone-operated thermal scan was conducted to determine where hotspots need to be targeted along the highway corridor.
"Crews have done a very thorough job over the last few days, and so this thermal scan will allow us to really nail down the final spots," Elsay said.
"There's lots of rocky, deep-burning root systems … these drones are very sensitive, they can pick up even small amounts of heat, so we'll be able to really confirm the work that we're doing out there."
The fire, discovered on July 29 southwest of Penticton, measured at just over 6,800 hectares Wednesday morning.
If positive progress continues, and the weather co-operates, orders for more neighbourhoods could be lifted in the coming days.
As of Wednesday evening, evacuation orders remain in place for all of Olalla and communities around Apex Mountain Resort.
The BC Wildfire Service expects the fire to continue to burn – sometimes aggressively – for weeks, but is confident the guards it has put in place around communities will be able to protect them.
To get to this stage, firefighters have used controlled burns to clear out additional fuel that could feed the fire in otherwise unpredictable ways, and fire blocks created by using heavy machinery to bulldoze sections of brush, creating a gap crews hope the fire will not be able to cross.
“Operations are going really well. We continue to establish lines to the west and on the north components of this fire,” said Bryan Zandberg, a fire information officer. “We have crews out there trying to cool it down.”
Even as the outlook improves on the Keremeos Creek fire, there is trouble looming on the horizon elsewhere in the southern Interior of the province.
Thunderstorms threaten to bring lightning strikes, which could ignite more fires throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre.
BCWS says it has people monitoring the storm system and teams of firefighters ready for rapid deployment to try to get the upper hand on any new fires caused by the anticipated lightning.
“We will have a lot of initial attack crews that are poised and ready to go,” said Zandberg. “They’re put on standby, ready to go at a moment’s notice, hop in a helicopter or a pump truck as need be, and just get to the scene really quickly.”
After a slow start, there is the very real possibility the province’s fire season could ramp up, with weeks to go before British Columbians can breathe easy.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.
Iran's judiciary confirms rapper Toomaj Salehi death sentence
Iran's judiciary confirmed the death sentence of well-known Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi but added that he is entitled to a sentence reduction, state media reported on Thursday.