Boaters told to stay off Okanagan Lake where helicopters are getting water to fight the White Rock Lake wildfire

UPDATE: 4:00 p.m.

Boaters, steer clear.

That’s the message from Central Okanagan Emergency Operations as temperatures and winds pick up near the White Rock Lake fire.

Crews battling the fire are reporting an increase in boating activity where helicopters are filling their buckets with water from Okanagan Lake.

CORD advises the change in weather can cause variable fire activity, and residents on Evacuation Alert should be prepared to leave on short notice.

Evacuation Orders and Alerts issued by the Regional District of Central Okanagan for the White Rock Lake wildfire are expected to remain in effect overnight.

An Evacuation Alert also remains in place for a portion of the City of Vernon.

Residents in all parts of Vernon are encouraged to remain vigilant, be prepared and continue monitoring updates from the City on its website and social media channels, from the BC Wildfire Service’s updates, and to continue following local news updates.

---

UPDATE 10:41 a.m.

Visual indications suggest at least six structures on four properties within the Bouleau Lake area sustained significant damage in the White Rock Lake wildfire.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Emergency Operations Centre in conjunction with BC Wildfire Service, did an aerial survey of the RDCO affected by the wildfire.

The properties were outside the RDCO fire protection area and the area is currently under evacuation order.

Formal confirmation will require a ground survey when fire conditions allow safe access by inspectors. In the interim, the EOC has attempted to contact affected property owners.

“North Westside firefighters and multiple other fire departments are working alongside each other and BC Wildfire, aiding in back burns along Westside Road,” said Alex Van Bruksvoort, North Westside Fire Chief.

“We are continuing to do work to help further protect homes in Lower Killiney Beach area. The team has laid over 800 feet of four-inch hose from a fire boat up Hodges Road to Blarney Place, supplying fire trucks, tenders and sprinkler systems placed throughout neighbourhoods. Crews are also removing combustible material close to homes. This is something that property owners who are on alert can also do.”

Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team (CDART) has opened a temporary emergency animal shelter in Lake Country to house companion animal evacuees from the White Rock Lake fire and assist with any animal-related concerns.

CDART is staffed by volunteers, so there is no charge for any of their services.

The shelter is located at the Winfield Memorial Hall, 10130 Bottom Wood Lake Road, and is open 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. If you are a fire evacuee needing help with your animal(s), contact CDART at 250-809-9589 or [email protected].

Evacuation orders and alerts issued by the Regional District of Central Okanagan for the White Rock Lake wildfire remain in effect.

---

UPDATE 10:16 a.m.

An increase in smoke can be seen in the vicinity of Naswhito Creek on the southeast flank of the White Rock Lake fire as crews continue to experience increased fire activity in the area.

Multiple helicopters were on site bucketing water to cool hot spots, Tuesday. Skimmers and airtankers are available to support today, if needed.

A finger of fire in the Naswhito drainage moved several hundred metres east last night.

The most eastern tip of the fire in the Naswhito Creek is just west of Banks Road. All other control lines held on the eastern perimeter last night and there was no further growth east from the main east flank of the fire.

Throughout the rest of the fire, Rank 1 - 3 fire was observed. As of last evening, the fire has not crossed lines in the Paxton Valley area on the north flank of the fire. There was no growth outside existing control lines for the entire fire, except for the Naswhito Creek drainage. Helicopters were bucketing active areas of the fire all day, yesterday.
Splatsin has announced it is extending the evacuation alert issued for Indian Reserve #1 (Salmon River) until Friday, Aug. 13 at 11:59 p.m.

“Splatsin established an EOC on Aug. 6 in response to the fire which is comprised of Splatsin staff and structural protection experts and is working closely with the BC Wildfire Service and Emergency Management BC,” said Kukpi7 (Chief) Wayne Christian.

---

ORIGINAL 4 a.m.

Work is underway on a huge contingency fire guard on the south flank of the White Rock Lake wildfire.

Spanning 50 kilometres from Fintry to south of Chaperon Lake, the guard will be a secondary line should the fire move south past the current network of forest service road and pre-existing machine guards.

The White Rock Lake fire was more active on Tuesday, with mainly rank 3 and 4 fire behaviour as a result of dry conditions and gusty winds.

BC ranks fire activity on a scale of one to six, with six being the highest.

“Despite seeing more activity, the fire remained within its perimeter with no significant growth in size or direction. There continues to be moderate growth in active areas on the north, northeast, and southeast flanks,” BCWS said.

As the week progresses, temperatures will continue to rise alongside winds while relative humidity will drop.

The southeast flank of the fire was the most active on Tuesday night, particularly in the Nashwito Creek area. Air support was called in to cool hot spots and flare ups.

Crews are also still working on previous containment objectives on the north and western flanks. Guard is being built in the Paxton Valley and a possible three kilometre fire break with a mass water system from Pillar Lake northwest.

“If feasible, this will act as a large barrier to limit the potential of fire growth towards communities northeast of the fire,” BCWS said.

Structure protection branch director Larry Watkinson, who is also Penticton's fire chief and organizer of a large regional wildfire training symposium, explained in a video Tuesday what goes into protecting homes.

He said intermix homes, ones spread throughout the fire zone, are usually protected with sprinklers while interface communities that have "hard line" between forest and community (such as La Casa) will be defended by traditional fire apparatus, or both.

“It is challenging, of course, when we are trying to make those decisions on how homes will get protection and a lot of it has to do with the FireSmart model that we encourage BC residents to follow," he said.

This story will be updated throughout the day.