Cherryville, B.C. residents urged to watch for lightning fires as blaze sparks

Cherryville, B.C., residents are being urged to watch out for new fire starts after lightning activity near the North Okanagan community.

Regional district area director Hank Cameron said he reported a new blaze around 5 p.m. on Tuesday evening.

Cameron said the spot fire is burning in mature timber at high elevation on Cherry Ridge upslope from the Cherryville area.

However, the local representative doesn’t think the fire will impact residents. Cameron estimates the blaze is three kilometers from the nearest private property and roughly five kilometers from any building.

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Cameron said shortly after he spotted the fire Tuesday evening, heavy rain and lightning hit the area making it hard to access the remote spot where the fire was visible.

By Wednesday morning, Cameron reported the fire activity had picked up and he witnessed crews flying in by helicopter to a cut block on top of the ridge.

He is hoping residents will keep an eye out for other new fire starts as the area has had quite a bit of lightning and it can take time after a strike before new fires become large enough to be visible.

2:10 Wildfire risk persists across most of B.C.