Over 200 properties within the Osoyoos Indian Band have been ordered to either evacuate immediately or be on alert due to a fast-moving new wildfire that sparked in the area Monday evening.
The First Nation and the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) have declared a state of local emergency due to the now 700-hectare blaze, which broke out at approximately 4:00 p.m. near Inkameep Road, on the Osoyoos Indian Band Reserve (OIB) between Oliver and Osoyoos, B.C.
RDOS officials said search and rescue crews were assisting RCMP with tactical evacuations for “those in immediate risk,” including at least half a dozen homes and a campground in the rural area.
Thick dark smoke and ominous orange skies descended across much of the South Okanagan in the wake of the new wildfire, and the blaze is highly visible from the popular tourism towns of Oliver and Osoyoos.
Residents are reporting ash falling as far away as Penticton, approximately 40 kilometres from the fire scene.
Witnesses say the fire, burning in mountainous terrain, exploded in size amid hot, dry and windy conditions.
“The Oliver Fire Dept is currently responding to a large fire on Inkameep Rd,” the Oliver Fire Department wrote on Facebook.
“We are asking people to stay clear of the area.”
Read more: Three Valley Lake properties put on alert as wildfire threatens community near Revelstoke, B.C.
The BC Wildfire Service said its responding to the dynamic situation with ground personnel, air tankers and helicopters.
The fire is burning out of control, and the cause is unknown.
Aggressive fire behaviour is posing a challenge for fire crews, the fire service said on Twitter.
Evacuations ordered
The Osoyoos Indian Band, meanwhile, has issued an evacuation order for about 180 properties within its boundaries. About 20 more properties near that area are on evacuation alert.
Evacuees are being told to go to the Legion building in Oliver.
Later, the RDOS issued an evacuation order for about 60 properties within Electoral Area C due to the fire. Northeast and southeast sections of the town of Oliver are also on evacuation alert.
The RDOS said its monitoring the wildfire, which is within the OIB’s jurisdiction.
FortisBC says it shut off power to 3,000 customers in the area, at the request of first responders. The utility later said that power has been restored for most of those customers.
There are 299 active fires in the province and 37 wildfires of note — that means they pose a threat to public safety and are highly visible.
Almost one-third of the fires are burning in the Kamloops region and about 70 per cent of the active wildfires have been sparked by lightning.
More to come…
–With files from Sean Boynton
© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Evacuations ordered by Osoyoos Indian Band as fast-growing wildfire threatens properties - Global News
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