13 new wildfires sparked in Kamloops Fire Centre

Thirteen new wildfires have sprung up in the Kamloops Fire Centre, an area of south-central B.C.

Today (August 14), the B.C. Wildfire Service said this number includes three new “fires of note” in the Penticton, Merritt, and Kamloops fire zones.

In the Penticton Fire Zone, the Sidley Mountain wildfire has crossed the Canada-U.S. border east of Osoyoos. It now covers about 50 hectares. There is an evacuation order for residents of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary.

The Skuhun Mountain wildfire in the Merritt Fire Zone is between Highway 8 and Highway 97C. It is a 300-hectare wildfire, and is being fought by over 80 firefighters. Authorities suspect the fire is human-caused.

West of Stump Lake and Highway 5A, the Long Lake Road wildfire is burning in the Kamloops Fire Zone. It has grown to about 236 hectares, and is now 60 percent contained.

In a news release, the B.C. Wildfire Service states:

The Kamloops Fire Centre is urging people to use extreme caution in the backcountry and refrain from activities that may cause a wildfire. Currently, the fire danger rating throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre is “high” to “extreme”. There are unsettled weather conditions in the forecast, so it is crucial that everyone does their part to prevent wildfires.

The phone number for reporting B.C. wildfires is 1-800-663-5555.