Emergency Services

The Bald Range wildfire has grown to 18,450 hectares as crews work to strengthen containment lines and prepare for thunderstorms that could increase fire activity, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service.

Frustration is growing among Summerland evacuees who want to know when they can return home, but emergency officials said Tuesday the volatility of the Bald Range wildfire makes it impossible to give them a firm timeline.

Wildfire officials said crews are working around the clock at the Bald Range wildfire near Summerland to try to control the blaze and allow people to safely return home.

Clearer skies overnight contributed to increased activity at the Bald Range wildfire as exceptionally dry fuels and shifting winds challenged crews Tuesday, Aug. 11.

B.C. officials are providing a provincial update Tuesday at 11 a.m. as major wildfires in the Okanagan have forced thousands of people from their homes and prompted widespread evacuation orders and alerts.

A cyclist was struck by a pickup truck Tuesday morning.

RCMP are warning people to rely on official sources as misinformation circulates online about the Bald Range wildfire near Summerland.

The B.C. government has secured more than 1,000 hotel rooms in the Okanagan and increased staffing for its evacuee helpline as people leave their homes because of the Bald Range wildfire.

The chief of the Penticton Indian Band is urging the provincial and federal governments to prioritize wildfire preparedness to help protect communities across B.C., including those in the Okanagan threatened by increasingly large fires.

Some residents displaced by the Bald Range wildfire are being granted temporary access to Summerland for critical purposes as emergency officials plan for a staged return to the community.