UPDATE: Five spot fires sparked in the Kamloops Fire Centre due to storm action on Tuesday. Officials say all of the fires were fairly small.
A homeowner in Cawston blames lightning for igniting his guest house, which doubles as a workshop.
“There was lightning and thunder in the area, and then all of a sudden there was an explosion and flash of light,” says owner Tom Owen.
“When I came around the corner my building was on fire. So I immediately panicked and ran into the house to phone the fire department, but my phone was knocked out.”
Owen jumped on the roof with two hoses and started to douse the flames himself.
Then he realized that he has a cell phone in his home, that’s when he called 9-1-1.
There was also a report of a lightning strike in Okanagan Mountain Park, but when a helicopter combed the scene Wednesday morning, no fire or smoke was found.
WEST KELOWNA–An afternoon storm followed by an early evening storm rolled through the Okanagan Valley Tuesday.
Rain tested storm sewers, hail battered plants and lightning strikes were reported throughout most of the region.
In West Kelowna lightning struck too close to home for one family.
Friso Stolk was in his daughter’s bedroom when he was startled by what he says was the loudest thing he’s ever heard in his life.
Lightning struck a tree next to his yard and it was on fire.
He used a hose to keep the flames at bay until West Kelowna firefighters arrived.
They doused the tree and the immediate area with fire retardent foam.
Stolk’s home was not damaged.
Another lightning strike was reported Tuesday evening in the hills across from Peachland, near Rattlesnake Island.
According to Kelowna Fire Dispatch, foresty crews will assess that situation Wednesday morning.
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