Latest news with #OkanaganSimilkameen
CBC
a day ago
- Climate
- CBC
Wildfire near Princeton B.C., sees evacuation order downgraded to an alert
Residents of nearly 30 properties near Princeton, B.C., who were forced to evacuate Sunday due to a nearby wildfire, are allowed to return home. The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen downgraded its evacuation order near August Lake and the Princeton Golf Club to an alert on Monday. It says that means residents should remain prepared to leave if the situation worsens. The August Lake wildfire is listed as 14 hectares in size and burning out of control by the B.C. Wildfire Service. That update comes after the service warned the Coastal Fire Centre is expected to get its first "outflow pattern" of the season, which could drive more significant fire behaviour. It says the pattern occurs when air flows out from the mountains toward the water, and will develop Monday and continue Tuesday in the region. Warm and dry conditions will persist: B.C. Wildfire Service The service says in a post on its website that winds are expected to moderate, although warm and dry conditions will persist early this week before a return to a typical southwesterly flow on Wednesday. It says the fire centre wants to warn the public about the potential for aggressive fire behaviour and asks anyone who sees a blaze to report it, as early detection is crucial to firefighting efforts. Cliff Chapman, director of wildfire operations for the service, told a news conference Monday that winds generally come off the ocean and push to the east. But, he said, an outflow pattern switches that direction and pulls wind toward the ocean, which can be problematic from a fire behaviour perspective. "Given the conditions that we've seen so far in the Coastal Fire Centre, we don't anticipate that to be dire, just because we have seen some [precipitation] in the system over the course of the last six to eight weeks," he said. Chapman said there are still lots of challenges, but the service is not seeing the potential for extreme fire behaviour. "Saying that, as we saw this weekend with the fires in the Kamloops Fire Centre, there are pockets where we can see that sort of high to extreme fire behaviour occur," he said, adding that resources are spread across the province so crews can attack any new fires quickly. Smoke in southern B.C. The B.C. Wildfire Service is reporting about 70 active fires burning across the province, 10 of which are in the Coastal Fire Centre. It says some areas of the province will see smokier conditions this week as a result of ongoing fires, with heavy amounts concentrated in the Fort Nelson area. "Southern B.C. will also see a smoky haze because of the Similkameen fires and shifting winds," the service's dashboard says.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Wildfire near Princeton golf course in B.C. prompts evacuation order
Princeton, B.C., Mayor Spencer Coyne posted this photo to social media showing crews fighting a wildfire near his town. (Credit: Facebook/MayorSpencerCoyne) An out-of-control wildfire near Princeton in British Columbia has prompted an evacuation order. The BC Wildfire Service says the August Lake wildfire, which is burning close to Princeton Golf Club, is now mapped at 14 hectares in size. The wildfire service says about 40 firefighters and three helicopters are on scene to contain the blaze. The fire has forced the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen to send out an evacuation order for some areas, urging people in the area to leave, while others are under evacuation alert. The wildfire service says the August Lake wildfire is exhibiting rank one to two behaviour, meaning flames are visible on the surface but are spreading slowly. Meanwhile, the Young Creek wildfire burning close to the Cathedral Provincial Park, southwest of Keremeos, is being held. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 13, 2025.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Evacuation alert issued as South Okanagan wildfire burns out of control
The Young Creek wildfire burning near Cathedral Provincial Park is seen on July 11, 2025, in this photo from the B.C. Wildfire Service. (BCWS) The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen has activated its Emergency Operations Centre and issued an evacuation alert after a new wildfire was discovered in its jurisdiction Friday night. The Young Creek Wildfire is believed to be human-caused and is burning out of control near Cathedral Provincial Park, southwest of Keremeos. The evacuation alert covers Cathedral Lake Lodge, Lake of the Woods Campground, Twin Buttes Campground, Cathedral Lake, Pyramid Lake and Ladyslipper Lake, according to the RDOS. Anyone in any of those areas should be prepared to leave on short notice, the regional district said, adding that it is working closely with the Upper and Lower Similkameen Indian bands. The most recent update from the B.C. Wildfire Service was shared late Friday night and estimated the wildfire at 50 hectares in size. The blaze was exhibiting 'Rank 3' fire behaviour, 'meaning a moderately vigorous surface fire with a moderate rate of spread,' the BCWS said. A total of 34 wildfire service personnel were responding to the fire, with two helicopters and heavy equipment also involved in the response.
