Osoyoos evacuation order in effect as wildfire burns

By The Canadian Press and Charlie Carey

An evacuation order has been issued by the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and the Town of Osoyoos in southern British Columbia, upgrading an earlier alert issued due to a nearby wildfire.

Authorities say impacted residents should leave the area immediately.



The order covers more than 700 properties in an area with boundaries west of Highway 97, south of Highway 3, east of Nighthawk Road, and north of the U.S. border.



After previously calling it the Lone Pine Creek wildfire, the BC Wildfire Service is now referring to the fire as the Eagle Bluff wildfire to align with the US Forest Service.



The service says the fire is currently estimated to cover roughly 20 square kilometres on the U.S. side of the border, and two square kilometres on the Canadian side.

There have been 1,517 wildfires in British Columbia this year, burning 15,397 square kilometres of trees, bush and grassland.


 


Highway 3 is now closed between Keremeos and Osoyoos due to the fire.

DriveBC says a detour is in place, using Highway 3A to Highway 97.

In an update Sunday afternoon, Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff says while she knew that the wildfire was in the United States, “it never occurred to me that it was going to come across the border.”

“But of course it did. And then it got a little bit scary because of the wind. It moved forward, moved north very quickly. And as soon as it got a little bit darker, you could really see all of the flames that were up there.

“It was pretty scary and it was moving very quickly,” McKortoff said.

The mayor says she’s been hearing from residents that the majority of evacuees have found places to stay.

“I’ve just heard people wanting to help and to volunteer,” she added.

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