More than 12,000 people have been ordered out of Summerland as a wildfire west of the community grows to 9,500 hectares and Highway 97 is closed through the area, cutting the main route between Penticton and Peachland.
The B.C. Wildfire Service said fire behaviour eased significantly Saturday morning from the Rank 5 conditions seen during the fire’s explosive growth Friday night, although the agency expects activity to increase again as temperatures rise and humidity falls.
Key developments since our 3:30 a.m. PDT update:
- The B.C. Wildfire Service now estimates the fire at 9,500 hectares, up from about 5,000 hectares Friday night.
- The wildfire service says the fire is displaying mostly Rank 1 and 2 behaviour with pockets of Rank 3 after reaching Rank 5 Friday night.
- The wildfire service expects fire activity to intensify as temperatures climb to 28 to 30 C and relative humidity falls below 30 per cent.
- Highway 97 is closed through the Summerland area, cutting the main highway route between Penticton and Peachland.
- An evacuation alert has expanded to include the Peachland watershed and Brenda Mines area, Lower Princeton and the downtown core.
- Interior Health says 238 residents are being relocated from two Summerland long-term-care facilities.
- The City of Penticton has activated its Emergency Operations Centre and says it is serving as a host community for evacuees as the wildfire situation evolves.
The District of Summerland’s evacuation order covers the entire municipality. The district also declared a state of local emergency Saturday because of the Bald Range wildfire.
The district said power has been lost throughout Summerland because of the wildfire. Municipal staff will work with first responders to restore electricity when it is safe to do so.
A boil-water notice is also in effect for all users of the Summerland water system.
The district said it bypassed its water treatment plant to protect water supplies needed for firefighting because the plant was threatened by the nearby fire. Untreated water entered the system as a result.
Seniors residences evacuated
Interior Health said it is working to relocate 48 residents from Dr. Andrew Pavilion and another 190 residents from Summerland Seniors Village to locations outside the affected area.
The health authority said families are being contacted directly and will be told where residents have been temporarily relocated.
An RDOS information officer said that about 55 people were airlifted from affected areas Friday night, including from the Faulder area, as evacuation efforts intensified.
The wildfire has also prompted evacuation orders and alerts farther north in Peachland and surrounding areas.
Central Okanagan Emergency Operations said properties along Brenda Mine Road and in the Renfrew and Upper Princeton areas are under evacuation order.
The emergency operations centre expanded an evacuation alert at 3:35 a.m. Saturday to include the Peachland watershed and Brenda Mines area, Lower Princeton and the downtown core. Residents under alert have been told to be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.
DriveBC says Highway 97 is closed to general traffic through the Summerland area because of the wildfire, cutting the main highway connection between Penticton and Peachland.
The City of Penticton, south of Summerland, said the wildfire situation is evolving and has activated its Emergency Operations Centre.
The city said it is serving as a host community for evacuees, with registration available at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre. The Penticton Community Centre is also providing free showers, washrooms and a children’s play area Saturday.
Conditions moderated this morning
The B.C. Wildfire Service said conditions moderated Saturday morning after the fire reached Rank 5 during its rapid expansion Friday night.
The agency said the fire is now displaying mostly Rank 1 and 2 behaviour with pockets of Rank 3.
The wildfire service said the fire broke out late Friday afternoon and grew rapidly amid hot, dry conditions, receptive forest fuels and strong winds.
According to wildfire service estimates, the fire was about 50 hectares when first reported before growing to about 1,000 hectares, then 5,000 hectares Friday evening and 9,500 hectares by Saturday morning.
The wildfire service said airtankers attempted to drop retardant along the eastern flank Friday to protect structures and slow the fire’s advance, but accelerating winds and volatile fire behaviour compromised those efforts.
It said firefighters, structure protection crews and structural fire departments worked through the night.
The wildfire service warned that activity is likely to increase again Saturday. It said temperatures are expected to reach 28 to 30 C, with relative humidity falling to between 24 and 30 per cent, and fire behaviour is expected to intensify as humidity drops below 30 per cent.
The B.C. Wildfire Service says the cause of the Bald Range wildfire has not been determined.
