UDPATE 11 P.M. THURSDAY
Wildfire crews and the Keremeos Fire Department have been called to the end of Beecroft River Road in Cawston where a one-hectare fire is burning after the Snowy Mountain wildfire reportedly jumped over the Similkameen River at 10 p.m.
“Due to strong winds coming downslope tonight up to 50 km/h, fire activity continues to be highly vigorous,” a post on the BC Wildfire Service website said. “The fire has spotted across the Similkameen River to the east side in an oxbow along the riverbank.”
“Crews are responding to right now in conjunction with the Keremeos Fire Department and heavy equipment is en route.”
There is no word on evacuations from the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen at this time.
ORIGINAL STORY:
The Snowy Mountain wildfire, burning near Cawston and Keremeos, is continuing to be a concern to firefighters Thursday morning.
The blaze is now 6,594 hectares in size and continues to grow due to strong winds and dry conditions.
In some places, it has now reached the bottom of the hillside between Keremeos and Cawston.
The B.C. Wildfire Service says crews worked overnight on the east flank of the fire where the fire continued to burn down the slope.
The fire is very visible to residents in Cawston, Keremeos and the Lower Similkameen Indian Band.
The Snowy Mountain wildfire is burning in very steep terrain, which is posing a challenge to firefighting crews.
The B.C. Wildfire Service says the objective for Thursday is to strategically place crews in the operable terrain areas where they will conduct burnoffs on the east flank, and if it’s safe to do so, will remove fuel from the fire’s path in order to stop the advance to the valley’s bottom.
Five properties closest to the fire activity within the Lower Similkameen Indian Band jurisdiction were evacuated Thursday morning. Crews also built a fire guard around the community and conducted a controlled ignition.
On Wednesday night, ranchers with cattle on Crown land west of Cawston were advised to start moving their animals to safer pastures with a new evacuation alert issued by the regional district.
The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) said the Snowy Mountain Wildfire has the potential to move south to the U.S. border.
The Desert Park Race Track in Osoyoos can stable horses and livestock as needed with the assistance of Animal Lifeline Emergency Response Team (ALERT) Canada, said the evening release from the RDOS.
The Snowy Mountain wildfire remains zero per cent contained.
Almost 900 homes remain under an evacuation alert due to this fire. There have been no evacuation orders at this time but that could change in the coming days.