Penticton and South Okanagan

Photo: Contributed - Callum Mathieson

Emergency crews on the scene of a 15 hectare grass fire south of Penticton.

Fire crews from the Ministry of Forests are on the scene of a grass fire west of the Observatory on White Lake Road Sunday afternoon.

The report came in just before 1:00 p.m., and quickly grew to 15 hectares.

"We have 18 firefighters, four helicopters, a bird dog and tankers, as well as the Willowbrook Fire Department responding," says Fire Information Officer Michaela Swan.

"The fire is burning in grass and the winds are light at this time."

The fire started just a day after Ministry crews were sent to a fire 35 kilometres west of Kelowna on Bear Main Forest Service Road.

"It grew to two and a half acres in an old logging slash," says Swan.

Photo: Contributed - Fawn Robinson

A Ministry of Forests helicopter loads up with water before attacking the fire on Bear Main Forest Service Road.

That fire is under control, although 11 firefighters were still on site Sunday afternoon doing mop up work.

The fires prove that although summer is over, the fire season is anything but.

Despite what's described as a quiet fire season this summer, fire crews have been kept very busy recently.

This weekend alone Ministry crews have also responded to the Pyman Road fire in Joe Rich Friday night and assisted when a motor home caught fire on Highway 97C Sunday morning.

The Kamloops Fire Centre is currently dealing with nine active fires of note, or larger than 10 hectares.

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