With cooler temperatures and some rain in the South Okanagan, the fire danger rating was reduced on the weekend.
Still, a number of local wildfires are burning and last week Osoyoos was blanketed in smoke, which has dissipated over the weekend.
The two most significant fires in this area are both southwest of Keremeos.
The biggest fire continues to be at Newby Lake and straddles the border. The Ashnola Road fire, further west, is now contained and is no longer considered a “fire of note.”
A small lightning-caused fire discovered July 10 is burning on Mount Kobau and several lightning-caused fires were discovered on Sunday to the east of Osoyoos in the Camp McKinney area.
Meanwhile, as of Tuesday, the wildfire danger rating around Osoyoos was classed as “low,” with some other parts of the South Okanagan classed as “moderate.”
Ratings can change quickly as a result of changing weather.
The Newby Lake fire in the Snowy Protected Area was still only 15 per cent contained as of Tuesday morning. That lightning-caused fire was discovered on July 2 and is now estimated at 2,049 hectares.
The fire jumped the border into the U.S. in its first week and about 90 per cent of it is burning south of the border.
U.S. crews were constructing control lines and preparing burnout operations on Monday.
The fire is in a remote area and no buildings are currently threatened.
On the Canadian side, only one fire officer was monitoring that fire on the weekend, but two 20-person sustained action crews and an incident commander from B.C. Wildfire Service were assigned early this week.
More B.C. Wildfire Service resources will be allocated to it as they become available, the Wildfire Management Branch says.
The U.S. Forest Service has about 544 firefighters assigned to the Newby Lake fire, as well as helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
The Ashnola Road fire is located west of Keremeos 24 km up the Ashnola forest service road. It is now considered 100 per cent contained. It was downgraded this week to simply an “active fire” and is no longer a “fire of note.” The fire was discovered July 4 and is suspected to be human caused.
As of Saturday, there were 21 firefighters working on this fire, with air support available as needed. The fire was estimated at 147 hectares.
A thunderstorm moving through the Kamloops Fire Centre last Friday brought lightning and gusty winds, setting off 18 new lightning-caused fires across the region.
The largest of these is located south of Princeton and reached 24 hectares in size, according to a bulletin released by the B.C. Wildfire Service on Saturday.
Since April 1, the Kamloops Fire Centre, which includes Osoyoos, has responded to 212 wildfires burning a total of 3,610 hectares, said the bulletin.
Of these, 85 fires were human caused.
A campfire ban has been in effect since July 3 across most of the province.
The public is asked to call *5555 cellular or 1-800-663-5555 to report wildfires or burning violations.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
