Photo: BC Wildfire Service

The Placer Mountain wildfire near Princeton on July 18.

The Placer Mountain wildfire near Princeton has continued to grow steadily, and is now estimated at 320 hectares in size.

The fire, 37 kilometres southwest of Princeton, began on Tuesday and is one of five "fires of note" in the Okanagan and Similkameen, identified by the BC Wildfire Service.

The lightning-caused fire was listed at 255 hectares of Friday, which was up from 150 hectares on Thursday and 50 hectares on Wednesday. 

The BCWS has 18 firefighters, three helicopters and eight pieces of heavy equipment battling the blaze.

It is one of six active wildfires in the Similkameen and the second largest; the Snowy Mountain wildfire, burning on the east edge of Cathedral Provincial Park, is still estimated at 1,120 hectares and isn't listed as a wildfire of note.

Four other fires in the Similkameen are all estimated at two hectares in size or smaller.