Fire crews work on the Keremeos Creek fire on Saturday. UPDATE 3:35 p.m The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Emergency Operations Center reports there are no changes to evacuation orders or alerts related to the Keremeos Creek Fire. Evacuation orders are in force for 547 properties in Chorio Keremeos and RDOS Electoral Area “C” and Electoral Area “I”. The evacuation notices are in effect for 1,050 properties. All affected properties can be found on this interactive map. RDOS, in partnership with the Village of Keremeos, has temporarily opened an Emergency Support Services (ESS) reception center at Keremeos Victory Hall at 427 Seventh Ave. The center will be open on Sunday until 5pm. Hours for Monday have not yet been determined. The City of Penticton’s ESS drop-in center at Princess Margaret Secondary School is closed on Sunday but will re-open on Monday, August 8 from 9am. until 5 p.m. The school is located at 120 Green Ave. According to the RDOS, by 14.00 noon on Saturday, 606 people had registered through ESS. Here’s how to contact Emergency Support Services: RDOS Emergency Support Services (ESS): 250-486-1890 ESS Registration & Assistance (ERA): ess.gov.bc.ca Hwy 3A remains closed between Upper Bench Rd and Hwy 97 (Kaleden Junction) due to the fire. ORIGINAL 10:40 AM Fire crews battling the large Keremeos Creek fire tackled some land north of Olalla overnight, but no buildings were affected by the flames. The large fire burning north of Keremeos is estimated at an area of 5,903 hectares and more than 540 properties in the area remain under evacuation. In an update Sunday morning, the BC Wildfire Service says crews encountered “spotting” on the south side of the fire overnight, north of Olalla. Smearing occurs when embers from a fire are carried by the wind outside the fire perimeter, starting new fires. “[Fire crews] they were able to do that and then make some hand flares to solidify their lines and stop the fire on the rock bluff north of the village,” BCWS says. “There was no fire damage to structures overnight.” Additionally, crews on the northeast side of the fire battled high winds in the area overnight and continue to build emergency lines Sunday. There is currently overturning over the large fire, causing smoke to spread throughout the area. The reversal is expected to lift later this morning. “Once lifted, crews will conduct scheduled flares to reinforce the hand guard constructed yesterday,” BCWS says. “Crews will be using hand flares on approximately 30 hectares to secure the ground north of Olalla. These flares are critical to establishing reliable containment and will reduce the fire to safe, workable ground for crews. Increased fire activity and smoke may be visible from Olalla and Keremeos.” Firefighters will work Sunday to build a fuel-free line from Green Mountain Road to the McKay Creek staging area, while sprinklers will be installed behind properties on Green Mountain Road. There are now 213 BCWS firefighters working on the fire, along with 168 structural protection firefighters from departments across the province. Structural protection crews are working in the Sheep Creek, Green Mountain, Apex and Olalla areas. Sixteen helicopters and 42 pieces of heavy equipment have also been assigned to the fire. Photo: BCWS
UPDATE: An inversion is creating smoky conditions on the Keremeos Creek Fire (K50863) this morning. This reversal is expected to lift by mid-morning. Once up, crews will perform scheduled flares to reinforce the hand guard constructed yesterday. #BCWildfire pic.twitter.com/lP7sTVjDdr — BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) August 7, 2022
