Grass fire burns close to Penticton homes

The Penticton Fire Department responded to a grass fire in the West Bench area that broke out around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The bush fire ignited behind a home on Spartan Avenue, before spreading along the gully above the popular KVR trail.

Witnesses say the fire was fuelled by strong winds.

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“It was jumping because the wind really started picking up and then it jumped and all of a sudden you couldn’t see anything because the fire was starting to gain more and it just blew up from there,” Roxanne Zeiler, an area resident, said. “It went right into our neighbour’s yard across the KVR and up.”

RCMP shut down traffic in the area.

Fire officials say the blaze is under control and no homes were damaged.