Photo: BC Wildfire Service
A wildfire burning west of Peachland is estimated to be about 1.5 hectares in size.
UPDATE: 8:22 p.m.
The Spring Lake wildfire located west of Peachland is now estimated to be 2.2 hectares in size.
The fire was discovered on Wednesday, just before 5 p.m.
Aydan Coray, BC Wildfire Service fire information officer, said personnel will be working through the evening to establish water delivery and create a perimeter around the wildfire.
Two initial attack crews, a unit crew, helicopters and airtankers were sent to the fire, which is burning about 4.5 kilometres west of Peachland.
UPDATE: 6:34 p.m.
The BC Wildfire Service says the wildfire sending a plume of smoke into the air above Peachland is estimated to be about 1.5 hectares in size.
Aydan Coray, BCWS fire information officer, said the Spring Lake wildfire is located 4.5 kilometres west of Peachland.
“There’s currently two initial attack crews and two helicopters responding, with the air tankers en route as well,” Coray said.
She said a unit crew with 20 personnel is also responding to the wildfire.
The fire was discovered on Wednesday evening, and is suspected to have been caused by dry lightning — meaning the strike occurred without rain nearby.
Coray said a bird dog spotting aircraft has been circling above the wildfire, with crews observing rank two to three behaviour — which means there is open flame visible, and the fire is moving at a moderate rate of spread.
Coray said the fire is not threatening any values or structures at this time.
People who are out on the lake are asked to stay vigilant, and keep well away from areas where aircraft will be scooping water.
This story will be updated as more information is available.
UPDATE 6 p.m.
The BC Wildfire Service has updated the location of a new wildfire west of Peachland.
The fire is burning near Spring Lake in the hills above the community. BCWS has now moved the fire’s location on the map several kilometres away from the community.
A group of skimmer firefighting aircraft are on the way to the fire from Kamloops to take over from a Penticton-based tanker that was previously over the blaze. A tanker from the Kootenay air base is also en route.
The fire is still estimated to be under a hectare in size but it is expected BCWS will have more details on the incident soon. A plume of smoke from the fire continues to be visible from across the Central Okanagan.
Photo: Stew Turcotte
Smoke rising from from a wildfire north of Peachland on Wednesday evening.
UPDATE 5:35 p.m.
Firefighting aircraft are now over a new wildfire start north of Peachland.
A tanker from the Penticton base is circling the blaze in addition to a bird dog spotting aircraft, according to flight tracking websites.
ORIGINAL 5:20 p.m.
A wildfire has been sparked just north of Peachland on Wednesday evening, sending a plume of smoke into the sky visible from across Okanagan Lake.
The BC Wildfire Service puts the fire at less than a hectare in size, burning just north of Peachland and south of Highway 97C. According to the BCWS website, the exact location is yet to be determined.
The cause of the wildfire is listed as under investigation.
Photos sent in from Castanet readers show smoke rising from the hills above Okanagan Lake.
Castanet News has reached out to the BC Wildfire Service for more information about the wildfire. This story will be updated as more information is available.
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Photo: BCWS
A wildfire has been spotted burning north of Peachland on Wednesday evening.
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