Crews continue to battle 1,550 hectare Mount Eneas wildfire in Okanagan Valley

OKANAGAN (NEWS 1130) – BC Wildfire Service has combined the 1,400 hectare Mount Eneas fire with the 150 hectares Munro Lake fire burning near Peachland in an effort to make it easier and safer to battle.

“We had a piece of unburned fuel between two fires and the objective was to remove that fuel in controlled circumstances, at our timing, when the weather was cooperating rather than allowing mother nature to do it when we didn’t want it to occur,” says Glen Burgess, incident commander for the Okanagan.

Burgess says hot weather in the forecast for this week is a concern but adds the good news is wind isn’t anticipated.

“I’m not going to say we are always 100 per cent in control but at least is being done under our terms which allow for more likelihood of success and less impact to the public,” he says.

The fires were fused with a helicopter that dropped chemical filled ping-pong-like balls that ignite when dropped on the ground

An evacuation alert for about 700 families near the fire remains, on top of the evacuation alerts and orders in place because of two other major fires in the Okanagan.

There are currently more than 100 wildfires burning across the province, but the Mount Eneas fire is still the largest and most concerning.

An air quality advisory was issued Sunday evening for the Central Okanagan, South Okanagan, Boundary, East Kootenay (South), and East Columbia.

“People with pre-existing health conditions, the elderly, infants, children and sensitive individuals are more likely to experience health effects from smoke exposure,” read a release from the government.

People are asked to stop or reduce activity level if breathing becomes difficult. Those in the area are also being asked to stay cool and drink fluids.

-With files from The Canadian Press

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