UPDATE: 8:35 p.m The BC Wildfire Service says the Blue Mountain fire west of Penticton is now estimated at 50 hectares. A team of six air tankers was working on the fire that broke out Friday afternoon, but was likely finished for the evening. Twelve BCWS personnel were reported working on the fire along with crews from the Penticton Indian Band. The PIB has also activated the emergency operations center and issued an evacuation warning for four properties.
UPDATE: 7:38 p.m An evacuation alert has been issued by the chief and Council and the Penticton Emergency Operations Center for four homes in the Shingle Creek area due to the threat of the Blue Mountain fire, which broke out Friday afternoon. The PIB said the evacuation notice has been issued as a precautionary measure for changing conditions and is asking them to take time to prepare to evacuate the property if deemed necessary. The addresses on evacuation alert are:

851 Shingle Creek 119 Big Valley Road 411 Big Valley Road 111 Shingle Creek

If assistance is needed in preparing to move persons with disabilities, children and/or neighbors, residents are encouraged to contact the PIB EOC for assistance.

Pet owners and hobby farmers concerned about their animals can contact the Animal Emergency Response Team (ALERT) at 250-809-7152 or [email protected] Farmers should contact PIB EOC. Those on the alert can pre-register at ess.gov.bc.ca The full PIB eviction notice can be found below. Photo: Penticton Indian Band UPDATE: 7:23 p.m The BC Wildfire Service says a team of six air carriers is working on the Blue Mountain fire west of Penticton. The bombers hit the trees with retarder and water. A dozen BCWS personnel were last reported heading to the fire, which broke out late Friday afternoon. The forest fire is still estimated at 10 hectares in size. The City of Penticton said city emergency officials are aware of the fire and are working with all partners and are ready to provide support as requested. The PIB has also activated the emergency operations centre. Fire zone and off-road ban remain in effect for PIB. BCWS said the fire is showing a category four aggressive behavior with an organized flame front and a short range spotting candle. UPDATE 6:30 p.m The Penticton Indian Band says their fire department is responding to the fire along with the BC Wildfire Service. The First Nation has also activated its emergency operations centre. The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen said emergency personnel are on standby to assist with the situation. Crews are in the process of closing Shingle Creek Road due to the fire. The lack of cell phone coverage in the area slows the flow of information from the site. Photo: BCWS UPDATE 5:25 p.m Strong winds are fueling a growing wildfire west of Penticton. The BC Wildfire Service says the now-named Blue Mountain fire is estimated at 10 hectares. It burns within the boundaries of the PIB reserve on the western slopes of the mountain from which it takes its name. “It exhibits rank four aggressive behavior with an organized flame front and a short-range spotting candle,” BCWS said. The fires in BC they are ranked on a scale of one to six, with six being the worst. “Crews and air resources are responding. Smoke in the area will be very visible from this fire and from fires burning along the US border,” BCWS added. The fire is burning about 15 km north of the Keremeos Creek fire, which resulted in the evacuation of hundreds of homes earlier this summer. While this 7,000-hectare fire is still classified as “contained,” BCWS says strong winds are causing the fire to “grow to the southwest” and is exhibiting category two and three fire behavior. A BCWS spokesperson says new growth on the Keremoes Creek Fire is occurring within containment lines. ORIGINAL 5 p.m The BC Wildfire Service is trying to respond to a new wildfire that started west of Penticton. The fire is burning Shingle Creek Road, within or near the boundaries of the Penticton Indian Band Reserve. BCWS says it is still gathering information and was not immediately able to comment, but firefighting aircraft traffic is concentrated north of the intersection of Shingle Creek Roads with Green Mountain Road. Photos sent to Castanet also show helicopters covering the fire. More to come… Photo: Darrel Hagel Photo: BCWS