Friday, 2 p.m.: Forests Minister Steve Thomson expressed his concern for people under evacuation order due to the Rock Creek fire, east of Osoyoos.
Thomson called it an “active, aggressive fire” that remained completely uncontained as of Friday afternoon.
He said some “buildings” had been burned and livestock lost to the fire.
He said public safety remained the top priority. Highway 3 and 33 through the area remain closed.
So far $198 million has been spent on fighting forest fires in B.C. this summer.
______
An aggressive wildfire near Rock Creek nearly doubled in size Thursday night after springing to life earlier in the day.
And now it has been reported, but not confirmed by authorities, that some homes in the area have been burn by the advancing flames.
The fire, which grew to an estimated 13-square-kilometres and is uncontained, has also forced hundreds from their homes in the Rock Creek area, as well as about 200 campers who were at the campground in Kettle River Provincial Park at the time. The fire reportedly jumped the highway in the area as well as a creek, forcing the campers to flee on foot.
Those evacuated have been sent to evacuation stations set up in the area. As a result of the fire, Highways 3 and 33 are both closed in both directions in the area and it’s not clear when they will reopen.
An estimated 76 firefighters, six helicopters and two air tankers have been assigned tot he fight the fire.
Meanwhile, another wildfire, this one started near Oroville, Washington, just south of Osoyoos, jumped the border Thursday night thanks to strong winds in the area, prompting evacuation notices for people living east of Osoyoos. There, Highway 3 is closed near Anarchrist Mountain. That fire is reported at an estimated size of 150 hectares.
