UPDATE: 7 p.m.
The City of Penticton has activated its Emergency Operations Centre after more than 200 Penticton Indian Band properties were placed on evacuation alert due to the Skaha Creek fire burning to the west of the airport.
“We’re taking steps to prepare and plan in the event there is a change in the behaviour of the Skaha Creek Wildfire and to be ready to support the Penticton Indian Band as needed,” said Emergency Operations Centre director Donny Van Dyk.
City activates Emergency Operations Centre in response to Skaha Creek Wildfirehttps://t.co/9N6uxCrG9Z
— City of Penticton (@cityofpenticton) August 31, 2021
No evacuation alerts or orders are being considered within the City of Penticton at this time.
The fire continues to burn out of control at 212 hectares and has been deemed human-caused.
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ORIGINAL:
The Penticton Indian Band Council has authorized an evacuation alert for over 200 properties in Skaha Hills, Riva Ridge, Holiday Hills RV Resort, as well as in the PIB Lower Village south of Shingle Creek due to the Skaha Creek fire.
This evacuation alert was issued around 5:30 p.m. on Monday.
PIB EOC Update August 30, 2021 17:30hr pic.twitter.com/e5A0dEiFXi
— PIB EOC (@PibEoc) August 31, 2021
The evacuation alert has been issued to prepare residents to evacuate should it be found necessary. Community members will be given as much advance notice as possible prior to evacuation; however you may receive limited notice due to changing conditions.
The Skaha Creek fire burning southwest of Penticton’s airport is now over 200 hectares, BC Wildfire confirmed Monday.
“Yesterday’s growth was driven by wind and dry fuel,” said Roslyn Johnson, information officer for the Okanagan Complex Team that has taken over the wildfire.
The wildfire, which is believed to be human-caused, started about 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 28. By Sunday afternoon it was over 50 hectares, ballooning to over 150 by nightfall. The flames climbing down the hill during the night made for stressful times for residents in the Skaha Hills and PIB Lower Village areas.
READ MORE: Tense night for Penticton residents watching Skaha Creek fire
