UPDATE: 7:56 a.m. Saturday
The 150 hectare wildfire buring at Richer Mountain is still being categorized as out of control.
According to BC Wildfire Service, the blaze was lightning caused earlier this week. Weather conditions caused the fire to nearly double in size over the past few days.
UPDATE: 8:30 p.m.
The Richter Mountain wildfire is now burning about 150 hectares, thanks to today’s winds and drying conditions.
The growth of the fire, which nearly doubled in size today, prompted the Regional District Okanagan Similkameen to issue an evacuation alert late this afternoon for 10 properties in the area.
According to the B.C. Wildfire Service, there are 63 personnel working on the fire, which is burning southeast of Cawston, near Highway 3. Ground crews are being supported by helicopters and air tankers. BCWS is warning boaters on the northern end of Osoyoos Lake to be watchful and steer clear of areas the skimmers are using to collect water.
UPDATE: 6:25 p.m.
An evacuation alert has been issued for 10 homes due to the wildfire at Richter Mountain.
The alert was issued by the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Emergency Operations Centre at 5:15 p.m. on Friday afternoon.
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The impacted addresses are listed below:
- 1090 HIGHWAY 3
- 1131 HIGHWAY 3
- 1125 HIGHWAY 3
- 1143 HIGHWAY 3
- 1095 HIGHWAY 3
- 1009 HIGHWAY 3
- 1117 HIGHWAY 3
- 101 CHOPAKA RD
- 963 HIGHWAY 3
- 1002 HIGHWAY 3
Residents of these addresses should be prepared to leave their homes at a moments notice as an Evacuation Order could be issued at any time. Property owners will be given as much advance notice as possible prior to an evacuation order, however, you may receive limited notice due to changing conditions.
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ORIGINAL STORY:
A wildfire burning near Cawston has now grown to 80 hectares.
The Richter Mountain fire was discovered July 24. It was caused by lightning.
READ ALSO: Wildfire near Keremeos grows to 60 hectares
READ ALSO: Neighbours work to battle blaze near Cawston
While crews have responded to the fire, it is described as out of control by the B.C. Wildfire Service.
So far this year, 107 fires have been reported in the Kamloops Fire Centre’s region, which includes the Richter Mountain fire. A total of 1,055 hectares has burned in the region.
Provincewide, 558 fires, destroying 12,278 hectares, have been recorded.
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