With the Okanagan experiencing an early season stretch of hot weather, fire officials are urging the public to be vigilant.
“Although it’s early June, very hot weather,” said Mike Walroth, protective services director with the Regional District of Central Okanagan. “Be careful when you’re out, recreating and anywhere close to dry grass, because the grass is starting to dry off and we just want to avoid situations like this.”
Walroth referred to a fire that erupted in a residential neighbourhood next to Mill Creek Regional Park Thursday afternoon.
The fire started on the west side of Spencer Road, with fire officials saying that it jumped to the north side of the road, where it damaged a house and destroyed a vehicle.
“The fire was moving very quickly and extended into the tree up above,” said Eric Grootendorst, assistant chief of training with the Kelowna Fire Department. “It required a very fast intervention from fire crews.”
The intervention involved 60 firefighters from five different fire departments along with support from the B.C. Wildfire Service.
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“We saw a rank two fire behaviour, which is considered a low-vigour surface fire,” said Cali Nessman, fire information officer with the Kamloops Fire Centre.
B.C. Wildfire service was also called out to the South Okanagan on Wednesday where a four hectare-sized fire broke out along Green Lake Road above OK Falls.
Both fires are suspected to be human caused.
According to B.C. Wildfire Service, there have already been 49 wildfires within the Kamloops Fire Centre, which includes the Okanagan, since April 1st.
While so far they have all been fairly small, the fire danger rating is going up.
“Throughout the Kamloops Fire Center, we’re seeing a fire danger rating of moderate with pockets of extreme,” said Nessman. “And that goes the same for the Okanagan region, moderate with pockets of extreme.”
The forecast calls for continued hot temperatures over the next several days across the region.
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