Lyonel Doherty
Times-Chronicle
It was a tense night for firefighters and residents in the Nk’Mip Creek fire north of Osoyoos.
Rob Graham from the Oliver Fire Department reported they were “here, there and everywhere” chasing spot fires and protecting homes from encroaching flames, some of which came within 75 feet of structures. A video on the department’s Facebook page shows an inferno of trees igniting above one of the crews (https://www.facebook.com/oliverfiredept/).
Graham said there was no report of any homes burned or destroyed by fire. He noted that water resources were limited in the fire zone, but thankfully they had portable water bladders.
The officer said the fire exploded very quickly and crossed Nk’Mip Road at one point, with the wind pushing it south towards Osoyoos Cottages.
Graham said one firefighter suffered heat exhaustion and was taken to hospital but later released.
On Tuesday morning the department had three units working in the area, including mutual aid for Osoyoos in protecting Nk’Mip Campground and Spirit Ridge resort that are under evacuation order.
Last night a State of Local Emergency was declared by the Osoyoos Indian Band with assistance from the regional district and the Town of Oliver. This included evacuation orders and alerts. A reception centre has been set up at the Oliver Legion Hall. The Town of Osoyoos has also declared a State of Local Emergency with evacuation alerts.
Marina McGinnis and her family on McKinney Road received an evacuation order at 6 p.m. on Monday. She said it didn’t feel like the fire was close enough but she understood how the wind could shift and write a different story.
She was standing in line outside the reception centre with her two young daughters, one of which hugged a volunteer who offered them refreshments.
McGinnis said she is a calm person and did not panic, so they just packed clothing and went to a hotel.
“I wasn’t in a rush to get out but there wasn’t anything I could think of that I wanted to grab.”
She noted it was just a precaution to make sure people had enough time to leave their homes. Her husband Nathan McGinnis is on the OIB council so she gets all of her updates from him.
As of 10 a.m. Tuesday morning, the fire was estimated at 1,100 hectares and still out of control, according to the BC Wildfire Service. A total of 12 personnel are on site today with two helicopters. They are expecting more dry conditions and variable winds.
A ghostly landscape depicted in the Nk’Mip Creek fire.
(Photo by Don Urquhart)
