The Penticton Indian Band Emergency Operations Centre (PIB EOC) is asking the community to be mindful of BC Wildfire crews and equipment working in the area.
In a PIB EOC update on Saturday, the centre says Charlies Lake is being used as a source of water by helicopters for the Keremeos Creek Wildfire.
“For everyone’s safety, the PIB EOC is asking community members to stay clear from the middle of the lake and keep to the side to allow helicopters safe access to the water they need,” read the PIB EOC release.
“Please be aware and mindful of BC Wildfire crews, vehicles, and equipment that are working hard to protect us.”
There are 381 firefights and 16 helicopters working to contain the blaze, however waterbombers remain grounded for several reasons.
“One of the main reasons is that a lot of the fire is burning in super steep, inoperable terrain with no feasible approach and departure path for our fixed-wing air tankers,” BCWS information officer Mikhail Elsay said.
“Tankers very rarely extinguish a fire on their own – we use them where they’re the most effective supporting crews in the terrain that our firefighters have been working.”
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