UPDATE (3 p.m.):
B.C. Wildfire Service implemented an area restriction order for the vicinity of the Mount Law wildfire, which went into effect at noon on Saturday and will remain in place until noon on Oct. 15, or until it’s rescinded.
The area applies to Crown land within the geographic boundaries outlined on the map below:
(Contributed)
Under this order and section 11 (2) of the Wildfire Act, a person must not remain or enter the restricted area without the prior written authorization of an official designated for the purposes of the Wildfire Act, unless the person is:
- Travelling as a person acting in an official capacity;
- Travelling for the purpose of supporting wildfire suppression activities;
- Travelling to or from his or her principle residence, that is not under an evacuation
- order;
- Travelling to or from private or leased property for the purposes of accessing a secondary residence or recreational property, that is not under an evacuation order;
- Using a highway as defined in the Highway Act (e.g. Hwy 5); or,
- Engaging and/or participating in agricultural activities pertaining to livestock or
- agriculture management on Crown Range, Crown Grazing Lease, private or leased property.
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The Mount Law wildfire burning near West Kelowna remains at an estimated size of 800 hectares, a figure that has not changed for nearly a week.
In a Saturday morning (Aug. 21) update, BC Wildfire Service said that crews today will mop up any guard locations met by the fire. Additional guards will also be built in areas wherever machines can gain access.
Central Okanagan Emergency Operations said that the focus of crews today will be suppression efforts, which includes planned ignitions that may result in visible flames and smoke in the area.
On Friday, evacuation orders for eight properties under threat from the fire were rescinded and downgraded to evacuation alerts. The properties include 3658 to 3760 Gates Road. Outside of these changes, all other evacuation orders and alerts remain.
The small planned hand ignitions are planned for the northern side of the fire, in an effort to burn small pockets of fuel between the fire and the guard. Crews are anticipating planned ignitions of approximately 35 hectares to occur in the coming days, as a weather window of opportunity arises.
On Friday, planned ignitions for the 35ha area were cancelled due to weather conditions and forecast precipitation.
“No precipitation was recorded on the fire ground last night, however humidity has increased today,” said BC Wildfire.
There are currently 45 BC Wildfire firefighters on-site who are supported by 31 pieces of heavy equipment, four helicopters and 34 support staff.
READ MORE: Favourable weather leads to evacuation orders being rescinded near Mount Law blaze
@aaron_hemensaaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com
