Finlay Creek Fire

[HIWATT]

We were camping at Garnet Lake yesterday. Got there around 3pm. Saw choppers and planes but thought they were practicing as the fire wasn't reported until shortly after we got there.
A Summerland police officer came down after dinner and warned us we might have to pack up with little notice.
Sure enough, at 4am we gt woken up and he said the fire was only 2km down the road. Smoke and ash everywhere at that point and you could see the glow of the fire from the lake.
Sometime after dark we also heard a HUGE explosion which I'm guessing was a large propane tank attached to a house up there somewhere. Hopefully everyone's ok :/

[daria]

Edited:
Please see post below as CORD has issued a correction.

[daria]

Finlay Creek Fire News Release No.2 Correction

Another day of hot, dry conditions as the BC Wildfire Service continues to fight the Finlay Creek wildfire, southwest of Peachland.

It says there was substantial growth overnight and the fire is estimated at approximately 1,000-hectares.

As a precaution, the Emergency Operation Centre is expanding the Evacuation Alert to include about 206 additional properties over and above those that were put on Alert last night.

The new properties under Evacuation Alert within the District of Peachland include:

6575 – 7280 (correct) Highway 97

4948 – 5079 Elliott Avenue

6421 – 6465 Mack Road

6457 – 6650 Renfrew Road

6470 – 6484 Renfrew Court

4949 – 5061 Princeton Avenue

6487 – 6568 Sherburn Road

6471 – 6485 Stuart Crescent South

6503 – 6551 Ferguson Place

6426 – 6575 Vernon Avenue

6465 – 6590 Bulyea Avenue
Those new properties under Evacuation Alert within the Regional District of Central Okanagan Central Okanagan West Electoral Area include:

Brent Road

Zipzone – upper Princteon Avenue (5875 Brenda Forest Service Road)

Residents in these areas should be prepared to leave their homes on short notice should fire conditions change. A detailed map showing the affected properties is available at www.cordemergency.ca.

Last night, residents from approximately 100 properties in the following areas were put on Evacuation Alert:

Properties south of Princeton Avenue and south to the District of Peachland boundary, including:

5247 Inga Street

6400-6493 Keyes Avenue

5357-5495 Pierce Street

5420-5443 Pierce Place

5440-5463 McDougland Road

5155-5379 Princeton Avenue (south side of the road only)

Properties west of Antlers Beach including:

6705-6711 Highway 97

6691-6789 Thorne Road

303-307 Log Chute Drive

A detailed map is available showing affected properties at www.cordemergency.ca.

All properties on evacuation alert should be prepared to leave on short notice should conditions change. Residents in the affected area should be prepared to be away from their homes for an extended period of time, make arrangements for pets and pack essential items such as medicines and important documents. Visit the be prepared page for more information.

Monitor cordemergency.ca, facebook.com/CORDEmergency or twitter.com/CO_Emerg for confirmed information about the situation

[daria]

UPDATE: 1:45 p.m.

Fifty-five properties to the south of the Finlay Creek wildfire have been ordered to evacuate.

The evacuation order from the Okanagan Similkameen Regional District (RDOS) states the affected properties are in Electoral Area F, for Meadow Valley and Darke Creek areas west of Summerland.

First responders are currently attending properties to ensure people are aware they must evacuate immediately. BC Wildfire Service, RCMP, Penticton Search and Rescue and the Summerland Fire Service are on scene as the order straddles both the District of Summerland and RDOS borders.

The 55 properties affected by the order include:

951 Meadow Valley Road in the District of Summerland
476 Fish Lake Road
920 Fish Lake Road
879 Meadow Valley Road
481 Fish Lake Road
1108 Fish Lake Road
920 MEADOW VLY RD
498 Fish Lake Road
1124 Fish Lake Road
931 MEADOW VLY RD
501 Fish Lake Road
1139 Fish Lake Road
951 MEADOW VLY RD -Smld

535 Fish Lake Road
1151 Fish Lake Road
955 MEADOW VLY RD
549 Fish Lake Road
1250 Fish Lake Road
24 OSBORNE RD
552 Fish Lake Road
1321 Fish Lake Road
30 OSBORNE RD
559 Fish Lake Road
1344 Fish Lake Road
33 OSBORNE RD
571 Fish Lake Road
1405 Fish Lake Road
35 OSBORNE RD
623 Fish Lake Road
26 MARSH LN
36 OSBORNE RD
628 Fish Lake Road
75 MARSH LN
48 SAVANNA RD
631 Fish Lake Road
100 MARSH LN
36 OSBORNE RD
822 Fish Lake Road
105 MARSH LN
12 SAVANNA RD
833 Fish Lake Road
155 MARSH LN
16 SAVANNA RD
852Fish Lake Road
633 MEADOW VLY RD
22 SAVANNA RD
855 Fish Lake Road
671 MEADOW VLY RD
558 RELKEY RD
877 Fish Lake Road
681 MEADOW VLY RD
574 RELKEY RD
883 Fish Lake Road
810 MEADOW VLY RD
884 Fish Lake Road
860 MEADOW VLY RD
Residents are asked to leave the area immediately and register at ESS Reception Centre located at the Summerland Arena and Curling Club at 8820 Jubilee Rd East, Main Floor. The Emergency Support Services (ESS) telephone number is 250-462-0823.

Before leaving:

close all windows and doors
shut off all gas and electrical appliances, other than refrigerators and freezers
close gates (latch) but do not lock
leave a note on the door or gate to say you have evacuated
gather your family: take a neighbour or someone who needs help
take critical items (medicine, purse, wallet, and Keys) only if they are immediately available
take pets in pet kennels or on leash
do not use more vehicles then you have to
do not use the telephone unless you need emergency service
Those properties evacuating horses or livestock, can relocate animals to BC Livestock Yards at 5353 Hawthorne Place, Okanagan Falls.

[WalterWhite]

Evac order issued:

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#205723

UPDATE: 1:45 p.m.

Fifty-five properties to the south of the Finlay Creek wildfire have been ordered to evacuate.

The evacuation order from the Okanagan Similkameen Regional District (RDOS) states the affected properties are in Electoral Area F, for Meadow Valley and Darke Creek areas west of Summerland.

First responders are currently attending properties to ensure people are aware they must evacuate immediately. BC Wildfire Service, RCMP, Penticton Search and Rescue and the Summerland Fire Service are on scene as the order straddles both the District of Summerland and RDOS borders.

The 55 properties affected by the order include:

951 Meadow Valley Road in the District of Summerland
476 Fish Lake Road
920 Fish Lake Road
879 Meadow Valley Road
481 Fish Lake Road
1108 Fish Lake Road
920 MEADOW VLY RD
498 Fish Lake Road
1124 Fish Lake Road
931 MEADOW VLY RD
501 Fish Lake Road
1139 Fish Lake Road
951 MEADOW VLY RD -Smld

535 Fish Lake Road
1151 Fish Lake Road
955 MEADOW VLY RD
549 Fish Lake Road
1250 Fish Lake Road
24 OSBORNE RD
552 Fish Lake Road
1321 Fish Lake Road
30 OSBORNE RD
559 Fish Lake Road
1344 Fish Lake Road
33 OSBORNE RD
571 Fish Lake Road
1405 Fish Lake Road
35 OSBORNE RD
623 Fish Lake Road
26 MARSH LN
36 OSBORNE RD
628 Fish Lake Road
75 MARSH LN
48 SAVANNA RD
631 Fish Lake Road
100 MARSH LN
36 OSBORNE RD
822 Fish Lake Road
105 MARSH LN
12 SAVANNA RD
833 Fish Lake Road
155 MARSH LN
16 SAVANNA RD
852Fish Lake Road
633 MEADOW VLY RD
22 SAVANNA RD
855 Fish Lake Road
671 MEADOW VLY RD
558 RELKEY RD
877 Fish Lake Road
681 MEADOW VLY RD
574 RELKEY RD
883 Fish Lake Road
810 MEADOW VLY RD
884 Fish Lake Road
860 MEADOW VLY RD
Residents are asked to leave the area immediately and register at ESS Reception Centre located at the Summerland Arena and Curling Club at 8820 Jubilee Rd East, Main Floor. The Emergency Support Services (ESS) telephone number is 250-462-0823.

Before leaving:

close all windows and doors
shut off all gas and electrical appliances, other than refrigerators and freezers
close gates (latch) but do not lock
leave a note on the door or gate to say you have evacuated
gather your family: take a neighbour or someone who needs help
take critical items (medicine, purse, wallet, and Keys) only if they are immediately available
take pets in pet kennels or on leash
do not use more vehicles then you have to
do not use the telephone unless you need emergency service
Those properties evacuating horses or livestock, can relocate animals to BC Livestock Yards at 5353 Hawthorne Place, Okanagan Falls.

[iabnmwts382]

Are any aircraft able to get in there at all with all this smoke? What does it look like up there? Winds?

[watchkat]

They seem to be attacking with the large silver (I think retardant) planes. They come in "waves" as I think they have to return to Penticton for refilling of retardant, not like the large yellow planes of yesterday that were more constantly filling from ok lake.
There were three helicopters up there about an hour ago or so.......they were working the area west of where the main fire seemed to start yesterday. Since the evacuation is now into the Fish Lake Road (Darke Lake/Fish Lake are same lake) they are working that area I think. The wind is from the north according to them and so pushing the fire toward Faulder.

Hope this helps.

[JagXKR]

4 Convairs, 1 RJ85 and 1 Electra were working the fire all day. Only see the 3 Convairs based in Penticton here now. Return time was so short. They don't have to go far so was really busy at the airport. They were refuelling on the north taxiways so that others with gas could get some retardant. It was amazing to see. Didn't want to miss the "airshow" to post anything until now.

edit
btw they were all Conair tankers

[iabnmwts382]

Thanks for the information folks. There just doesn't seem to be a lot of up to date information about. I realize those in the immediate area are concentrating on either getting out or getting ready to get out if need be.

Be safe everybody.

[tsayta]

I can see the smoke column again from okm park. Wind from North clearing out the crap.first time I've seen it today

[watchkat]

Large white and red helicopter passed over toward the Industrial park at McDougall, then silver plane followed by two yellow water tankers (first I've seen on this side of the Deep Creek today) #245 was so low I actually caught myself "holy &*^*" ....maybe it seems 100 feet above the trees by me........

[JagXKR]

Seems the retardant tankers are being replaced with water tankers. Maybe that's a good thing. Set up a containment area with retardant then pound inside with water. Maybe?

[seewood]

large smoke plume rising at the fire. Glad we don't have the wind we had yesterday.

[watchkat]

Seems the retardant tankers are being replaced with water tankers. Maybe that's a good thing. Set up a containment area with retardant then pound inside with water. Maybe?

That is what I was wondering also. Seems the first of water tankers on Peachland side of the fire. Sure is smoky up here. Seems to be no descernable wind. Hope they get a handle on it before dark

1000 ha = 2500 acres / 640acres to sq mile = 4 sq miles of fire that is big no matter how you configure it.

[Farmmaa]

large smoke plume rising at the fire. Glad we don't have the wind we had yesterday.

I hope it's not heading that way, but we just started t get a pretty steady wind again in Lake Country - strong enough that the large pines are all swaying