Hundreds of homes evacuated, thousands on notice as wildfire flares in Okanagan

After a slow start to B.C.’s summer wildfire season, crews now have their hands full as they deal with a massive blaze near Penticton. Ashley Burr hears from community members as the fight to save homes and businesses continues.

PENTICTON (NEWS 1130)  — It was a sleepless and smoky night in South Okanagan where an out-of-control wildfire has forced hundreds of families from their homes.

The blaze broke out Tuesday afternoon on the east side of Skaha Lake southeast of Penticton and grew from 250 hectares to about 10 square kilometres, about 1,400 hectares, in just a few hours.


Taylor Mcfadyen lives in Penticton and is about a kilometre away from the fire. He says all he can smell is smoke.

“I don’t see the smoke now, but I see the flames shooting up and down. You can see the burning points,” he says.

A few years ago, Mcfadyen was living in Fort McMurray.

“I’m an ironworker by trade, so I was one of the last people out of there when the fire started. I would just rather not have a repeat.”


Robin saw the fire near Christie Mountain grow while she is vacationing in Penticton.

“We saw a little plume of smoke and I right away said, ‘We’ve got a fire situation.’ I’d say within in half an hour it had taken over a quarter of the hillside,” she says.

“We could see the red flames and the huge sky filled with red colour in the evening.”

District chairwoman Karla Kozakevich said they were trying to contact the owner of a home that had burned.

At least 20 firefighters were fighting the flames, with more resources expected later in the day.

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen ordered residents of 319 homes in the Heritage Hills area to leave immediately.

Watch: Hundreds of properties evacuated due to wildfire in Okanagan

Penticton then issued an evacuation alert for nearly 3,700 properties on its southeast side, closest to Skaha Lake.

The regional district has also posted evacuation alerts for 116 properties in the Upper Carmi area east of Penticton and Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park just south of the city.

RELATED: Lightning storms spark 25 new fires in B.C. Interior

The fire on Christie Mountain was among nearly 100 that have ignited in the past few days following a heatwave and thunderstorms in southern B.C.

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