A snapshot of the 2018 B.C. fire season shows it’s been a busier year, average-wise, but less destructive.
A tweet from the B.C. Wildfire Service says it has responded to 810 wildfires so far this year, with the year-to-date average being 762.
Notably, though, BCWS says 56,415 hectares have been burned this season, down from the year-to-date average being 107,266 hectares. In 2017, an astounding 377,800 hectares had burned.
In related news, Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) says with this week’s rescinding of all remaining evacuation alerts, it is deactivating, though it is remaining on standby should another emergency require support and co-ordination.
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The Central Okanagan Emergency Operations website, cordemergency.ca, is a centralized location for regional public emergency and preparedness information, including links to provincial and federal emergency resources such as PreparedBC, B.C. Wildfire Services, Emergency Management B.C. and air quality readings.
Today, it appears that the seven fires burning in the Okanagan had no growth from yesterday.
“Excellent progress has been made on all of these fires (in the Okanagan) during the last seven days,” said B.C. Wildfire Service spokesperson Marla Catherall. “But the fires do continue to challenge crews, as they are in extremely steep and rocky terrain.
“And the three fires in Okanagan Mountain Park are exceptionally challenging because they provide no shade for the crews due to the lack of trees and vegetation. These crews are working in 34-C-plus degree temperatures with no shade.”
Catherall added “this smoke that we are seeing in the Okanagan Valley right now is being reported as coming from fires in Greece, Finland and Siberia.”
Here is a breakdown of the seven fires, from north to south:
Law Creek
- Location: Six kilometres southwest of West Kelowna
- Size: 15.5 hectares
- Cause: Lightning.
- Status: Classified as under control. Thirty personnel on site, with 20 being contract crews, with one piece of heavy equipment.
- BCWS notes: “Today’s objectives are to extinguish the last of the hot spots and patrol.”
Peachland Creek
- Location: 2.5 kilometres west of Peachland.
- Size: 23 hectares
- Cause: Lightning.
- Status: Classified as being held; no further growth anticipated due to weather conditions and suppression tactics. Eleven personnel and one piece of heavy equipment.
- BCWS notes: “This fire is in very steep terrain, in particular the west flank. Approximately 30 per cent of this fire is left in order just to search out hot spots, and a scan of this fire is requested.”
Goode’s Creek
- Location: 21 kilometres south of Kelowna, in Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park.
- Size: 577 hectares.
- Cause: Lightning.
- Status: Classified as out of control. 63 personnel on site, with 49 being from B.C. Wildfire Service.
- BCWS notes: “Crews are continuing to strengthen the east flank today.”
Mount Eneas
- Location: Four kilometres south of Peachland, immediately west of Highway 97.
- Size: 1,793 hectares.
- Cause: Lightning.
- Status: Classified as being held. A total of 82 firefighters, 62 of which are BCWS personnel with 20 contract crews, and six pieces of heavy equipment.
- BCWS notes: “Today’s objectives are to extinguish hot spots and good progress is being made.”
Frederick Creek
- Location: Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park.
- Size: 55 hectares.
Glenfir Road
- Location: 10 kilometres northwest of Naramata.
- Size: 32 hectares
- Cause: Lightning.
- Status: Classified as out of control. Sixty-five personnel on site, 52 of which are from B.C. Wildfire Service.
- BCWS notes: “The fire is burning in cracks and crevices of numerous, small, steep canyons. Ground crews will work south through to the middle of the fire.”
Mount Conkle
- Location: Approximately six kilometres southwest of Summerland.
- Size: 118 hectares.
- Cause: Lightning.
- Status: Classified as being held.
- BCWS notes: “Today’s objectives are to mop up.”
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