By Times Chronicle Staff
UPDATES
July 15, 3:30 p.m. – Evacuation Alert for Electoral Area “G” and “H” rescinded.
July 14, 11:30 a.m. – The Evacuation Order has been rescinded.
The order pertains to the following areas:
- South of Highway 3
- West to Amber Hill Road / Darcy Mountain Road adjacent of Sewer Treatment Plant
- East to Willies Ranch Road
- Includes Princeton Golf Club and Properties on Taylor Mill Drive
The Evacuation Alert has also been amended:
- South of Highway 3
- West to Amber Hill Road / Darcy Mountain Road adjacent of Sewer Treatment Plant
- East to Willies Ranch Road
- Includes Princeton Golf Club and Properties on Taylor Mill Drive
- Properties north of Highway 3 along the Similkameen River
- South of Princeton Cemetery Road
- East of Copper Mountain Road
- West of Willie Ranch Road
July 14, 9:12 p.m. – Overnight Sunday crews saw minimal growth to this fire, according to BC Wildfire. The priority Monday remained on actioning the north and east flanks and establishing a wet line, as well as actioning the south flank of the fire. Crews are reporting Rank 1-2 fire behaviour, meaning a smouldering ground fire with a slow rate of spread.
The wildfire is now considered “Being Held” and the size is unchanged at 14 hectares.
August Lake Wildfire on Monday, July 14 morning.
BC Wildfire Service photo
July 13, 7:17 p.m. – The BC Wildfire Service said cress saw minimal growth of this fire overnight Saturday. On Sunday, “the priority remains to be actioning the north and east flanks, establishing guard and a hose lay between the fire and nearby structures.”
BC Wildfire noted that as temperatures rise, crews are expecting to see Rank 2-3 fire behaviour, meaning a low vigour surface fire with a slow to moderate rate of spread.
Currently there are 40 firefighters, three helicopters and structure protection is also responding.
Evacuation alerts and orders are still in place.
August Lake Wildfire on the eastern edge of Princeton.
BC Wildfire Service map
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ORIGINAL
Areas around Princeton are now under a mandatory Evacuation Order as the August Lake Wildfire outside of Princeton is considered by BC Wildfire Service to be ‘Out of Control’.
At present the fire that runs along the south side of Hwy. 3 on the eastern end of town is 14 hectares in size. The fire is considered human caused.
This Evacuation Order from the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is effective as of July 12, 2025 at 6:30 pm for the following areas:
South of Highway 3
- West to Amber Hill Road / Darcy Mountain Road adjacent of Sewer Treatment Plant
- East to Willies Ranch Road
- Includes Princeton Golf Club and Properties on Taylor Mill Drive
Areas covered by RDOS Evacuation Orders.
An Evacuation Alert is in place for the following areas:
- Properties north of Highway 3 along the Similkameen River
- South of Princeton Cemetery Road
- East of Copper Mountain Road
- West of Willie Ranch Road
There are currently 14 firefighters and four helicopters responding to this wildfire.
“We currently have both ground and aerial resources, including five air tankers, responding to this incident. The fire is displaying rank 2-3 behaviour, meaning a moderately vigorous surface fire with a moderate rate of spread,” BC Wildfire said in a response update.
Meanwhile a wildfire near Placer Creek, south of Princeton and approximately 9 km east of Eastgate is now at 291 hectares in size and considered by BC Wildfire Service as “Out of Control”.
A wildfire near Placer Creek, south of Princeton and approximately 9 km east of Eastgate is now at 291 hectares in size. BC Wildfire Service map
The fire was discovered on July 12 in the early afternoon.
While the wildfire is currently being monitored there is no active firefighting as resources are being applied to the August Lake Wildfire which is an interface fire.
