Twenty fires in Shuswap, Okanagan, Similkameen and West Kootenay regions

Twenty wildfires are currently burning in B.C.’s Okanagan, Shuswap, Similkameen and West Kootenay regions.

Most of the wildfires are considered new, having been discovered either on July 1st or 2nd, with BC Wildfire equally portioning shares of the causes as either lightning, person or unknown.

Currently, most of the wildfires are listed as being small, with only a handful being bigger than a hectare. Notably, four fires are considered under control, while another two are considered being held.

The biggest fire in the combined area is the Derickson Lake fire, burning in Graystokes Provincial Park east of Kelowna. That fire, discovered on June 29, is listed at 1,300 hectares.

Also in Graystokes Park, the Long Loch fire is still at 100 hectares, That fire was also discovered June 29, and along with the nearby Derickson Lake fire, is considered out of control.

A third fire, the Hilda Creek fire, was listed at two hectares on Thursday, but is now considered extinguished.

0:52Will there be more lightning in the B.C. Interior forecast?

Below is a list of the fires in the combined areas:

Shuswap

Celista Mountain

• Location: 15 km northeast of Sorrento, across Shuswap Lake
• Size: 0.01 hectares. Discovered July 2
• Cause: Unknown

Ford Road

• Location: 11 km directly north of Salmon Arm, across Shuswap Lake
• Size: 0.01 hectares. Discovered July 1
• Cause: Unknown

Blackwood Creek

• Location: 19 northeast of Salmon Arm
• Size: 0.2 hectares. Discovered June 30. Under control
• Cause: Unknown

Gultch Creek

• Location: 10 km southwest of Chase
• Size: 0.3 hectares. Discovered July 2
• Cause: Unknown

2:02Wildfires in B.C. threaten homes, trigger evacuations in Kamloops, Castlegar

North Okanagan

Valentine Taylor Forest Service Road (2 fires)

• Location: 7-8 km northwest of Falkland
• The first fire is Valentine Taylor Forest Service Road, 7 km away
• Size: 0.01 hectares. Discovered on July 1
• Cause: Unknown
• The second fire is on Valentine Taylor Forest Service Road West, 8 km away
• Size: 0.01 hectares. Discovered on July 2
• Cause: Unknown

Spa Creek

• Location: 16 km west of Enderby, between Yankee Flats and Silver Creek
• Size: 0.4 hectares. Discovered July 1
• Cause: Person

Seidner Lake

• Location: 20 km east of Armstrong
• Size: 0.01 hectares. Discovered July 1
• Cause: Unknown

3:18Lytton residents still unaccounted for following fast-moving wildfire

Central Okanagan

Long Loch

• Location: 30 km due east of Ellison/Duck Lake
• Size: 100 hectares. Discovered June 29
• Cause: Lightning

Derickson Lake

• Location: 18 km north of Big White Ski Resort
• Size: 1,300 hectares. Discovered June 20
• Cause: Person

Trepanier Creek

• Location: 10 northeast of Peachland, alongside Highway 97C
• Size: 0.3 hectares. Discovered June 30
• Considered being held
• Cause: Unknown

Log Chute

• Location: 8 km south of Peachland, along Highway 97
• Size: 1.80 hectares. Discovered June 28
• Considered under control
• Cause: Person

Dark Lake Provincial Park (2 fires)

• Location: 11 km southwest of Peachland
• The nearest fire is 11 km away
• Size: 0.1 hectares. Discovered on June 30
• Cause: Unknown
• Considered being held
• The second fire is 11.5 km away
• Size: 0.3 hectares. Discovered on June 29
• Cause: Person
• Considered under control

1:56Possible state of emergency for B.C. wildfires?

Similkameen

Paul Road

• Location: 10 km West of Keremeos
• Size: 1.5 hectares. Discovered July 2
• Cause: Unknown

West Kootenay

Turner Creek Upper

• Location: 8 km northwest of Nakusp
• Size: 0.01 hectares. Discovered July 1
• Cause: Lightning

West Wilson Road

• Location: 5 km northwest of New Denver
• Size: 0.01 hectares. Discovered July 2
• Cause: Lightning

Merry Creek

• Location: 8 km southwest of Castlegar
• Size: 15 hectares. Discovered July 1
• Cause: Person

To view BC Wildfire’s active fire map, visit the Government of B.C. website.

3:40Lytton fire: Two dead and a town gone in minutes