An air tanker drops retardant near a 0.5-hectare wildfire west of Okanagan Falls on Tuesday. UPDATE: 6:22 p.m A wildfire discovered Tuesday burning west of Okanagan Falls is not threatening any homes, according to the BC Wildfire Service. Melanie Bibeau, BCWS fire information officer, told Castanet News that the Mount Hawthorne fire is estimated to be 0.5 hectares in size. Bibeau said BCWS is responding along with members of the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department. “There are two initial attack crews, there are six firefighters, one officer, two helicopters and air tankers responding to the incident,” Bibeau said. A witness told Castanet he first noticed the fire shortly before 5 p.m. Smoke from the fire is visible from Lake Skaha. The fire is still considered out of control. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.
#BCWildfire is in joint response with the Kaleden Fire Department to the Mount Hawthorne Fire (K50779) located west of the community of OK Falls. The fire is estimated to be 0.5 hectares in size and is not threatening homes or affecting highways. pic.twitter.com/pAGjRe1qyh — BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) July 27, 2022 ORIGINAL: 5:48 p.m Photo: Philip Hoesli Smoke from a wildfire can be seen southwest of Skaha Lake. BC Wildfire Service confirmed crews are responding to the fire. BC Fire Service crews are responding to a fire near Skaha Lake. A witness told Castanet News that he first noticed the fire, which appears to be southwest of the lake, just before 5 p.m. He said aircraft can be seen dropping retardant near the fire. BCWS confirmed that there are initial attack crews and two helicopters responding to the fire. This story will be updated as more information is known.
