- VSAR worked alongside emergency crews responding to the Bradley Creek Wildfire Saturday, Aug. 1 on Okanagan Lake to usher looky-loos out of the way of water bombers and helicopters.
- Multiple skimmer runs were aborted from actioning the Bradley Creek wildfire over the weekend due to looky-loos.
- As the wind got stronger and the fire worsened, the VSAR team switched their tactics to evacuation mode, extricating people by water and having ground crews deliver evacuation notices.
- An evacuation order is now in effect for the Shelter Cove, Secret Point, and Cinnabar Creek areas, with residents asked to leave immediately.
- An evacuation alert has been expanded for properties south of Cinnabar Creek, including the Wilson's Landing area and west rural areas.
- The Quilpituk Creek wildfire has been mapped at 1,139 hectares, up from Tuesday's estimate of 742 hectares. Most growth has been upslope and away from homes.
- Fire behaviour remains at Rank 1 and Rank 2, described as smouldering to low vigour surface fire, with no additional growth or change in fire behaviour.
- Crews are working directly along the fire's edge, building wet lines and strengthening containment. Heavy equipment is constructing indirect control lines tying into Terrace Mountain.
- BC Hydro is working to replace damaged infrastructure and reenergize the powerline from under Okanagan Lake from Carrs Landing.
An evacuation order has been issued for residents near Okanagan Lake as the Bradley Creek wildfire continues to threaten homes. The Central Okanagan Emergency Management officials announced the order, urging residents in Shelter Cove, Secret Point, and Cinnabar Creek to evacuate immediately.459
According to officials, the order was recommended by the BC Wildfire Service due to forecasted weather conditions that could exacerbate fire behavior. “While no structures are currently under immediate threat, the order is intended to ensure residents can leave safely ahead of anticipated conditions,” officials stated.
Vernon Search and Rescue (VSAR) reported that multiple skimmer runs were aborted over the weekend due to looky-loos obstructing water bombers and helicopters. “Every aborted run is time lost when a fire is growing by the minute,” said VSAR’s Coralie Nairn, expressing frustration over the situation.2
As the fire worsened, VSAR shifted to evacuation mode, assisting in extricating people by water and delivering evacuation notices. “The rest of the afternoon was chaos,” Nairn recounted, describing the scene as homes caught fire and wildlife fled.
The Quilpituk Creek wildfire has grown to 1,139 hectares, with 174 firefighters and 12 helicopters currently deployed. Despite the fire's growth, conditions have remained stable, with Rank 1 and Rank 2 fire behavior reported, allowing crews to strengthen containment efforts.67
BC Hydro is also working to restore power lines damaged by the fire, further complicating the emergency response efforts.
“The Quilpituk Creek wildfire has grown to 1,139 hectares, up from 742, with 174 firefighters and 12 helicopters assigned. Smoke from larger fires in the Cariboo and south of the border is helping suppress activity, allowing crews to build wet lines and conduct hand ignitions along Westside Road.”
Abbotsford News
