UPDATE: 5:30pm
Two wildfires 18 kilometers north of Big White have grown to an estimated combined size of 300 hectares.
The two fires were part of a three-fire cluster, all of which sparked on Tuesday evening. Earlier on Wednesday, the largest of the blazes was just three hectares.
Due to aggressive fire behavior resources have been pulled back to protect the safety of responders. The wildfires are highly visible from #Kelowna, #Vernon and the surrounding communities. No structures or properties are currently threatened. #Okanagan
— BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) July 1, 2021
The BC Wildfire Service says smoke and fire behavior is making the size difficult to confirm. Fire crews have been pulled back to protect their safety due to “aggressive fire behavior.”
No structures or properties are currently threatened.
We are in Lavington and it is bad. The air quality has deteriorated since 230pm. Large ash pieces falling on our deck.
— 🌱Kathleen Ott (@erimegsmom) July 1, 2021
UPDATE: 5pm
Smoke is pouring from a cluster of three small wildfires north of Big White.
The BC Wildfire Service still lists all three fires as small, the largest being just three hectares, but a large plume of smoke from the area suggests the fire has grown since this afternoon.
The smoke can be seen from as far as downtown Kelowna and Big White Mountain.
Black Press Media has requested further information from the BC Wildfire Service.
UPDATE: 12:30pm
Three small wildfires east of Kelowna remain out of control.
Fourteen firefighters are responding across the three fires, alongside two helicopters.
All three blazes are near Graystokes Provincial Park, north of Big White.
The largest of the three fires, at Derickson Lake remains at three hectares and is suspected to be human-caused, according to the BC Wildfire Service. The Long Loch and Hilda Creek fires remain at 0.5 hectares, the former caused by lightning. The cause of the Hilda Creek fire is currently unknown.
ORIGINAL: 8:50 am
Three new wildfires popped up east of Kelowna Tuesday evening (June 29), each ranging between 0.50 hectares and three hectares in size.
According to the BC Wildfire Dashboard, the Derickson Lake fire, which is measured at three hectares in size, is suspected to be caused by a person. The Long Loch fire, measured at 0.50 hectares, was caused by lightning. The cause of the Hilda Creek fire, also measured at 0.50 hectares, is not yet known.
The fires are located near the Graystokes Provincial Park, just north of Big White.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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