The border-hopping wildfire burning near Osoyoos is now being held.
The Eagle Bluff wildfire which started in Orville, Washington, and moved into the Okanagan on July 29, was designated held Wednesday morning. The change means the wildfire is not likely to spread beyond predetermined boundaries under current conditions.
This news comes on the heels of all evacuation orders being lifted for the for the remaining 134 properties in the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen and the town of Osoyoos. These are now under an evacuation alert.
The ignition operations along the northeast, north, and west flanks have been successfully completed.
The fire is currently mapped at 7,060.6 hectares on the north side of the Canada-United States Border.
While there were no structures lost in the fire it sent up plenty of smoke and hampered activity in the area, with Highway 3 being intermittently closed during planned ignitions.
The wildfire service explained planned ignitions are a very useful tactic in fire suppression and fire management and are often the safer and more efficient operational tactic.
“It allows us to bring the fire perimeter down to control lines and creates a more uniform and continuous fire edge which is easier for crews to use direct attack methods on and extinguish hot spots to strengthen control lines and achieve containment,” the wildfire service said.
“This is also more time efficient and safer for the crews as they have to spend less time chasing hot spots and patches of free-burning fire in rough terrain.”
On that front, the wildfire service said that crews are also making good progress during patrols, mopping up areas where the ignition operations occurred working along the northeast corner and north flank between the fire perimeter and the Kilpoola Estates area.