Photo: Rob Webster

UPDATE 6:00 p.m.

The BC Wildfire Service says a 50 hectare wildfire burning on Placer Mountain, just west of Cathedral Mountain Provincial Park is putting up a large amount of smoke visible from as far away as Osoyoos.

Fire information office Nicole Bonnett says they have 33 firefighters on the ground being supported by helicopters. The fire is not burning near any structures. 

There is a cluster of four other smaller spot fires burning around Keremeos, although Bonnett says they are not growing at the moment.

“We are aware they are there, and we’ve been bringing in resources from outside the fire centre throughout the day and we are assigning them to some of the areas that are not quite as close to communities,” she explained.

The majority of the smoke hanging over Cawston and Keremeos is coming from the Placer Mountain Fire, she said.

ORIGINAL 4:45 p.m.

Castanet readers are reporting a large plume of smoke emanating from what appears to be the Cawston area, near Osoyoos. 

There are several fires burning in the area according to BC Wildfire Services. 

Castanet has reached out to BC Wildfire for more information on the specifics of these blazes.