Fire situation 'less severe'

Photo: Twitter

Community meeting on Oliver fires

A public information meeting is underway at the Oliver Community Centre to bring residents up to date on efforts to battle the Testalinden Creek and Wilsons Mountain wildfires.

B.C. Wildfire Service and local government officials and evacuees.

Evacuation orders currently affect about 360 homes in the area of the two fires, but provincial officials say the situation is less severe than it was a day earlier.

"The fire activity out there this morning has been quite a bit milder than what we were seeing last night," said Kevin Skrepnek, chief fire information officer for the Wildfire Service, who added multiple structures in the area have burned.

"Certainly, there's still a lot of work to do out there. The fire at this point is zero per cent contained, but we're not seeing that incredibly aggressive wind event that came through the area yesterday," he added.

Officials said both blazes pose an imminent threat to the homes on the western edge of Oliver and it has opened an emergency operations centre to co-ordinate its response.

Both fires are burning in scrub brush on steep, western hillsides above the agricultural area surrounding the town itself.

Flames came within about 50 metres of Helena Souto's house, which was saved by the lush orchard between it and the fire zone.

"We had the sprinkler running overnight, that's maybe why it didn't get too close to the house," she told the Penticton Herald on Saturday after returning to survey the damage.

"I didn't expect to see the house this morning."

Dozens of fruit trees that served as the makeshift fire guard were scorched and she expects they'll have to be replanted.

"But that's Mother Nature," Souto said. "You can't stress out about it."

Her neighbour, Spud Torrao, spent the night on top of his home, which was also saved by fruit trees.

"I've lived through burn-outs. I lived in Lilloet and twice I got evacuated, and I said I'm going to stay until the last second until the corner of the house gets going, so I laid up there and I had the water hose," he recalled while repairing a sign damaged by heavy winds.

"I've got a metal roof and said I'll tough it out."

The region's agricultural backbone may have prevented more extensive losses, said a spokesman for the Oliver Fire Department.

"Some of those orchards and vineyards that kept stuff green definitely saved those areas," said Rob Graham, who was among 30 members of the department who assisted provincial crews.

"There were structures threatened, but that's why we were there."

Oliver Mayor Ron Hovanes said approximately 300 people registered Friday night at an emergency reception centre in town. Upwards of 40 evacuees slept there, while others spent the night in their vehicles or bunked with friends and family.

He described the mood Saturday morning as "pretty calm" following a fitful night.

"Last night it was pretty horrific when you're at the foot of the hill... and watching flames licking at the backs of houses. It was pretty tense," Hovanes said. "And the smoke was thick. You could hardly breathe."

Both fires continue to smoulder Saturday with small pockets of flames visible at times on the hillsides. The Wildfire Service has three helicopters and 60 crew members on the scene, and is still being assisted by local crews.