Just hours after a wildfire in Coldstream was deemed “being held,” another wildfire broke out in the North Okanagan on Saturday.
According to the BC Wildfire Service, the Becker Lake wildfire just east of Vernon was first listed around a hectare in size and was burning out of control.
As of 4:30 p.m., BCWS upgraded the size to five hectares, though by 8 p.m., it was listed at 10 hectares.
A BC Wildfire spokesperson said firefighters are being assisted by local fire departments, and that two helicopters and air tankers are also battling the blaze.
Later Saturday evening, BC Wildfire sent out a social media post stating that a drone had been spotted in the area.
“If a drone collides with firefighting aircraft, the consequences could be deadly,” said BC Wildfire.
“Anyone caught operating a drone that interferes with fire control could be fined up to $100K, jailed for up to a year, or both.”
It also noted that the fire is visible from Vernon and the surrounding areas.
One witness on McLeish Road told Global News that he noticed the fire around 1:40 p.m., and that it quickly doubled in size.
In addition, as of 9:30 p.m., no evacuation alerts or orders have been issued for the fire.
For the latest on evacuation alerts, visit these sites:
The Regional District of the North Okanagan