Fire crews are keeping a close eye on the wind as an out-of-control wildfire continues to burn just kilometres away from Osoyoos, B.C., just north of the Canada-U.S. border.
The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) said the Eagle Bluff wildfire did not grow overnight Sunday and remains at roughly nine square kilometres in size on the Canadian side. Environment Canada is forecasting winds of up to 20 kilometres an hour blowing northwest throughout the day — the right direction to push the flames away from town.
The sky over Osoyoos was visibly clearer Monday morning, closer to its usual shade of blue after it was an eerie shade of smoky orange on Sunday.
Around 700 properties in the area are still under an evacuation order after wind drove the flames closer to town on Saturday, while another 2,000 homes remain under an alert for possible evacuation on short notice in the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS).
BCWS Information Officer Shaelee Stearns said more windy weather is in the forecast Monday, and crews are keeping a close eye on the situation throughout the day. She said crews are hoping the winds push the flames away from town.
Osoyoos, which is 400 kilometres east of Vancouver, has a little more than 5,000 residents — more than a third of whom are seniors. The desert town is a popular summer destination for people from B.C. and Alberta, with its hot climate, warm lake and many wineries.
The RDOS, BCWS and the Town of Osoyoos will be providing an update in a news conference at 1 p.m. PT.
CBC News will carry officials’ remarks live.
WATCH: Residents drive away as wildfire approaches Osoyoos, B.C.
Mary Cervenko sent in this video of her daughter fleeing the southern B.C. Interior town of Osoyoos due to the rapidly spreading Eagle Bluff fire on July 29.
Locals gathered with binoculars to watch as water bombers and other firefighting aircraft roared back and forth overhead for hours on Sunday. Crews have reminded tourists with boats to stay off the water to give the aircraft room to work.
The wildfire service said teams are prioritizing the eastern edge of the fire to keep it from moving toward the town and Osoyoos Lake.
The local state of emergency remains in effect.
Wildfire danger rating falls elsewhere
The fight to protect Osoyoos comes as the wildfire danger rating has fallen in recent weeks because of rain and cooler weather in most areas of B.C., except the southern and southeast corners.
That prompted officials in the Prince George Fire Centre, representing the northeast quarter of the province, to announce plans to lift a campfire ban in that region, but the decision was reversed just a short time later.
“Upon further review and with the wildfire season being experienced in B.C., we have made the decision the Category 1 prohibition will remain in effect,” the wildfire service said in a social media post on Sunday.
“The decision to implement or rescind a campfire ban is based on science, however as a high level of activity continues around the province, we want to ensure all wildfire personnel are responding to current and potential naturally caused wildfires,” the post said.
The wildfire service said there were 352 active wildfires in British Columbia as of Sunday at 5 p.m., with 188 classified as out of control. Fourteen are fires of note that are either highly visible or pose potential threats to public safety.
Meanwhile, a firefighter was killed before the weekend while fighting the massive Donnie Creek fire in northeastern British Columbia — the second such death this month in the province and the fourth in Canada during a record-breaking fire season.
Police said the contract firefighter from Ontario died after his heavy-duty ATV rolled over on a steep gravel road, just weeks after Devyn Gale, 19, was fatally struck by a falling tree near Revelstoke, B.C.
Residents are encouraged to check the RDOS website for updates on changes to evacuation orders and alerts, and the Voyent! Alert app to get emergency notifications.
WATCH | Timelapse video shows growth of wildfire south of Osoyoos
The Eagle Bluff wildfire spread across the Canada-U.S. border and led to evacuation orders in the southern Interior. (Credit: Andrew Pace)