Photo: Contributed
UPDATE: 9:33 a.m
The BC Wildfire Service said crews were called out overnight Friday while battling the Keremeos Creek wildfire.
The southern flank, north of Olala, had some spots and flare-ups.
“They managed to get it going and then did some hand fires to harden their lines and stopped the fire at the rock face north of the village. No structural fire damage overnight,” BCWS said in its Saturday morning update.
“On the northeast flank, crews have been challenged by the winds in the area and are working to build emergency lines.”
The fire is currently estimated at 5,903 hectares.
Along with 15 helicopters and 40 pieces of heavy equipment, there are 260 wildland firefighters assigned to this fire, working with an additional 166 structural protection personnel from British Columbia Fire Services for a total of 426 firefighters.
BCWS said they expect a strong upper ridge to lie over the area on Saturday.
Plans for Saturday on the east flank are to build fuelless lines from Green Mountain Road to the McKay Creek staging area. The sprinklers will be installed behind the properties on Green Mountain Road.
Crews will construct lines around Hedges Butte to McKay Creek, as well as construct fuelless and hand belays from McKay Creek to Green Mountain Road.
On the west flank, crews will use direct attack methods from Green Mountain Road to Keremeos Creek Forest Service Road. Heavy equipment will be used to establish emergency lines from Apex Mountain through Dividend Mountain to southern Keremeos Creek.
In preparation for a planned burn, crews will continue to establish handlines along Olalla Creek Forest Service Road.
Crews have been assigned to contain the fire north of the Highway 3 corridor.
Highway 3A remains closed at this time between the Highway 97 junction in Kaleden and Keremeos.
Click here for an interactive map of all properties on order and notice.
Photo: BCWS
Updated perimeter map legend. The map contains evacuation orders and warnings.
ORIGINAL: 4am
There are 166 structural protection personnel from fire services across British Columbia responding to the Keremeos Creek wildfire on Friday as more than 540 properties in rural Keremeos, Apex and Olala remain under evacuation orders.
A further 1,050 properties in the area are under alert.
An update Friday afternoon listed the fire at nearly 6,000 hectares and has closed Highway 3A.
The BC Wildfire Service sent out a release Friday night specifically to thank the Structure Protection Branch, which “played an important role in protecting the propriety in the immediate vicinity of the wildfire.”
21 fire trucks, 15 water supply machines and one mechanic help the fire teams in their work.
These crews are made up of over 35 fire departments, according to BCWS, as well as many individual resources that have provided assistance in responding to this wildfire.
“The British Columbia Wildfire Service recognizes and values the long-standing collaborative relationship with the structural firefighting community,” they wrote.
The wildfire broke out on Friday, July 29, and has so far resulted in the loss of one home.
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