UPDATE: 2 p.m The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen Emergency Operations Center is providing a fire update at 2 p.m. Watch live above. Photo: BCWS Fire from Keremeos Creek. UPDATE: 11 a.m More evacuation notices have been added regarding the Keremeos Creek fire. A total of 41 properties, most in the Grand Oro Road area in Constituency G and I as well as two more properties along Highway 3A have been added to the notice. Total properties under evacuation order: 324 Total properties under evacuation alert: 479 RDOS Emergency Support Services has recorded 157 residents. Fifty-five are accommodated in local hotel rooms and another 10 are housed in local homes. ESS says that a group accommodation has been set up but is not currently being used. A welcome center for evacuees is available at Princess Margaret Secondary School, 120 Green Ave in Penticton. This Reception Center will be open today from 9am to 5pm. For a complete list of affected properties and updates on evacuation notices and orders, click here. ORIGINAL: 9:40am The BC Wildfire Service is still attacking the Keremeos Creek fire, which as of Wednesday morning is still estimated at 2,790 hectares. Still listed as out of control. The fire is located near Highway 3A in Yellow Lake, so while it was closed Tuesday, crews did small scheduled flares. A control line is being advanced along the highway that will limit development and allow crews to gain safe access and establish containment lines. More planned flares are in the works on the east side of the fire over the next 24 hours. More than 320 properties in the fire area, including Apex Mountain Resort, remain under evacuation orders and hundreds more are on watch. Find a full list of orders and notices here and evacuee information here. Resources that attack this fire now are:
137 firefighters 10 helicopters Four heavy equipment 137 wildland firefighters have been assigned to this fire and are working with an additional 115 structural protection personnel from fire departments across BC. for a total crew of 252 firefighters.
Structure protection will be established where and as needed as crews proceed with scheduled flares along Highway 3A.
Additional crews are establishing control lines from Green Mountain Road working west and preparing Cedar Creek Road for potential burn operations.