Crews battling Penticton wildfire take precautionary steps ahead of forecast winds
Posted August 23, 2020 2:29 pm.
Last Updated August 24, 2020 12:07 pm.
UPDATE: Thousands of homes in Penticton are no longer under evacuation alert as the threat of the Christie Mountain wildfire has eased. Read more here.
PENTICTON (NEWS 1130) — As the Christie Mountain wildfire continues burning south of Penticton, fire crews are taking some precautionary steps as gusty winds are forecast to arrive.
Additional strike teams will make their way to the evacuation alert areas to do patrols, according to Penticton Fire Chief Larry Watkinson.
“In my opinion, enough resources [are] here to effectively maintain the integrity of that front. All that being said, of course, those situations can change rapidly based on fire behaviour, but we feel that we’ve appropriately resourced this fire so far,” he says.
Evacuation Alerts and Orders remain in effect with the @EmergMgtRDOS & @cityofpenticton. An area restriction is also in effect. Visit https://t.co/sNv8sWG4TV for details.
For further updates on the #ChristieMountainwildfire, visit: https://t.co/DzpVDQWMO9 #BCWildfire pic.twitter.com/ElrAhgfxJy— BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) August 23, 2020
Wildfire evacuation orders are still in effect for 3,700 properties in Penticton. Nicole Bonnet of the B.C. Wildfire Service has some advice for people in the area.
“You want to have a big pack and ready to go. And some of those things, maybe, you want to just keep in your car in case you do plan to be away from your home for a while,” she says.
If the alert does become an order, the city will first declare a state of local emergency and hotel space will be made available outside the alert area.
The region is also under a special weather statement from Environment Canada for smoky skies caused by the fire.
Meanwhile, in B.C.’s Slocan Valley, 305 homes are covered by an evacuation alert over growing concerns about the spread of the nearby Talbot Creek wildfire.
