OKANAGAN FALLS, B.C. — Sunday’s wildfire near Okanagan Falls is believed to have been human-caused.
Winds upward of 25 kilometres per hour fanned the fire near White Lake Road mid-Sunday afternoon, prompting an evacuation alert.
The latest estimate was the fire had grown to 70 hectares in size. Crews battled the blaze from the ground and air including 36 firefighters, five helicopters and heavy equipment.
Crews remained on site overnight Sunday.
Officials say the fire is burning in grass, sagebrush and open timber and was burning aggressively with winds blowing 20 – 25 kilometres per hour Sunday.
More than a dozen homes on Willowbrook Road and Yellowbrick Road were put on evacuation alert.
“This fire is suspected to be human-caused and therefore preventable. This fire serves as a reminder to the public to be especially vigilant with their fire use or any spark producing activity as we are experiencing high to extreme fire conditions,” says Fire Information Officer, Mellissa Welsh.
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