Watched the Keremeos Creek Fire from Ollala on Saturday UPDATE: 5 p.m Warmer temperatures Saturday compared to recent days increased fire activity for the Keremeos Creek Wildfire. BC Wildfire Service fire information officer Mikhail Elsay said the increase was expected and crews are prepared for it. “Crews are making good progress over Ollala putting in hand guards, so they’re doing a good job of setting up containment lines,” he said. “Crews to the north were also working hard to establish restrictions north of Sheep Creek Road.” The 426 firefighters stationed at the fire are on rotating shifts, with the majority fighting during the day. Highway 3A is expected to remain closed for the foreseeable future. Elsay said there is still quite an active fire in some of the areas, so it will remain closed for the safety of responders and public safety. The fire remains estimated at 5903 hectares, with BCWS continuously mapping the fire as it changes and grows. “Crews are doing a good job out there. We will continue to work the fire around the clock for the foreseeable future,” Elsay added. More than 540 properties in rural Keremeo, the Apex area and Olalla remain under evacuation orders, with another 1,050 properties in the area on alert. An interactive map of all properties on order and notice can be found online here. Photo: BCWS Green Mountain with Green Mountain Road below and engine guard. Retrieved August 6 at 9:45. I am. UPDATE: 9:33 a.m The BC Wildfire Service said crews were called out Friday night while battling the Keremeos Creek Fire. The south side, north of Ollala had some spots and outcrops. “They were able to do that and then do some hand flares to solidify their lines and stopped the fire on the rock bluff north of the village. There was no fire damage to structures overnight,” BCWS said in a statement. Saturday morning. modernize. “In the northeast, crews have been driven by winds in the area and are working to build emergency lines.” The fire is currently estimated at 5903 hectares. Along with 15 helicopters and 40 pieces of heavy equipment, there are 260 wildland firefighters working with an additional 166 structural protection personnel from fire departments across BC. for a total crew of 426 firefighters. BCWS said to expect a strong upper ridge over the area on Saturday. Plans for Saturday on the east side are to build fuel-free lines from Green Mountain Road to the McKay Creek staging area. Sprinklers will be installed behind properties on Green Mountain Road. Crews will construct lines around Hedges Butte to McKay Creek as well as construct fuelless guards and hand guards from McKay Creek to Green Mountain Road. On the west side, crews will use direct attack methods from Green Mountain Road to Keremeos Creek Forest Service Road. Heavy equipment will be used to establish emergency lines from Apex Mountain over Dividend Mountain to Keremeos South Creek. In preparation for the planned ignition, crews will continue to establish hand lines along Olalla Creek Forest Service Road. Crews have been assigned to contain the fire north of the Highway 3 corridor. Highway 3A remains closed at this time between the Highway 97 interchange at Kalenden and Keremeos. Click here for an interactive map of all properties on order and notice. Photo: BCWS Updated legend on perimeter map. The map contains evacuation orders and alerts. ORIGINAL: 4 A.M There are 166 structural protection officers from fire departments throughout BC. responding to the Keremeos Creek Fire on Friday, as more than 540 properties in rural Keremeos, Apex and Olalla remain under evacuation orders. Another 1,050 properties in the area are on alert. An update Friday afternoon listed the fire at nearly 6,000 hectares and had closed Highway 3A. The BC Wildfire Service sent out a post Friday night to specifically thank the Structure Protection Branch, which “has played an integral role in defending properties in close proximity to the fire.” The fire crews are assisted in their work by 21 fire engines, 15 water tankers and an engineer. These teams are a combination of over 35 fire departments, according to BCWS, as well as many individual resources that have provided assistance in fighting this fire. “The BC Wildfire Service recognizes and values the long-standing collaborative relationship with the structural firefighting community,” they wrote. The fire broke out on Friday, July 29 and has so far resulted in the loss of one home. Photo: Contributed
