'Too close for comfort': B.C. Interior wildfire moves closer to some homes

KEREMEOS, B.C. -

Dozens more homes are now on evacuation alert as an out-of-control wildfire continues to burn in B.C.'s Interior.

The Keremeos Creek wildfire has grown to an estimated 4,250 hectares since it was discovered roughly 21 kilometres southwest of Penticton on Friday. The cause remains unknown.

The increase in size, according to the BC Wildfire Service, is "due to both natural fire and planned ignitions."

"Planned ignitions are conducted to bring the fire down to control lines so firefighters can action the fire," the service said in an update posted online Wednesday. "We expect more growth as this fire burns into more inaccessible areas."

On Wednesday, huge plumes of smoke could be seen billowing into the air and Highway 3A had to be temporarily closed.

“It appears that some debris has rolled across the road. It may have to do with some of our operations up the road,” said Bryan Zandberg, fire information officer for the Kamloops Fire Centre.

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen confirmed 479 properties, including the Apex Resort village west of Keremeos, remained evacuated, while residents of another 324 properties in the area were on evacuation alert.

Though officials say the blaze is stable, it is slowly creeping closer to people's properties – and not everyone has heeded the order to leave.

Dan Jerowsky's home is only about 200 metres away from where a fire flared up this afternoon.

“Sure, I’m nervous, but it's downhill to my house which helps,” he said, describing the fire as "too close for comfort."

Although the home is in the evacuation zone, Jerowsky says he isn’t leaving because he wants to keep an eye on things and ensure sprinklers are working to protect his home.

“I think if I really have to get out of there, if I made that decision, I'd be able to get out quite quickly. I’m ready to go in a second if I have to,” he told CTV News.

But most of his neighbours have already left, including Trish Hedrick, who worries about Jerowsky and about losing her home.

“It’s pretty panicking. It's scary,” she said of the fire when she came by her property Wednesday to check on it.

“It's reassuring to know the crews are around here working but it's pretty nerve-wracking not knowing if I'm going to have a home to come back to,” she added.

Jerowsky said he’s grateful for the work fire crews are doing to protect people’s property and is confident his home won’t be lost.

There are 252 firefighters assigned, which includes 137 wildland firefighters and 115 structural protection personnel. They are being backed up by 10 helicopters and four pieces of heavy equipment.

Crews may also get some help from the weather as things are expected to significantly cool off in the area. Environment Canada was calling for temperatures to drop by almost 10 degrees in the Penticton area from the low 30s recorded Wednesday to expected highs of no more than 23 C on Thursday and Friday.

With files from The Canadian Press