— Washington State fires burn just south of border —

OSOYOOS TIMES — August 9, 2006)

By Julie TurnerrnOsoyoos Times

Two major wildfires continue to burn in Washington State and ash rained down on Osoyoos over the long weekend, prompting the Ministry of Environment to issue Air Quality advisories for the South and Central Okanagan.
Updates were issued through last week and again on Tuesday, Aug-ust 8, due to the Tripod Fire and the Spur Peak Fire burning in the Okanogan National Forest southwest of Osoyoos. The fires have been producing dense, low-level smoke and ash which has been carried by southerly winds into the area for over a week. On Wednesday of last week, concentrations of smoke, measured at the monitoring site at Osoyoos Canada Customs, rose to 142 micrograms per cubic metre, nearly five times the Canada-wide standard of 30.
Today and over the long weekend, smoke concentrations could rise again in the evening in Osoyoos, Oliver, Keremeos, Okanagan Falls and Penticton, the Ministry stated in Friday's advisory. Surface smoke concentrations will generally rise in the evening and overnight as the atmosphere stabilizes. Daytime heating destabilizes the atmosphere and allows the smoke to be diluted through a larger volume of air.rnMark Peppin, Fire Information Officer for the Tripod Fire, says the Spur Peak Fire is closest to the Canada-U.S. border and is approximately 25 kilometres south of Osoyoos and estimated at 8,400 hectares. The Tripod Fire is currently estimated at 10,500 hectares in size. It is believed the two fires will grow together soon
Those with asthma, heart, lung or other chronic conditions have been advised to use common sense regarding outdoor physical activity, or to stay indoors. These individuals should also watch for any change in symptoms that may be due to smoke exposure, and should contact their doctors or visit a walk-in-clinic.
The fire was caused by a lightening strike on the afternoon of July 24. As of Monday, over 1,700 personnel were involved in trying to control the situation. According to InciWeb, which is tracking the fires and providing updates online, the estimated containment date for the fires is October 1, 2006. For more information, go to www.inciweb.org/incident/341