The Keremeos Wildfire is now estimated to be 4,250 hectares in size.
The blaze located 21 kilometres southwest of Penticton grew overnight due to downslope winds, which drove fire downhill along Hwy. 3A south towards Olalla.
The Olalla Creek Forest Service Road is closed and Hwy. 3 will be closed intermittently.
Crews worked through the night on structure defense around the Cedar Creek drainage and kept fire on the west side of 3A. Crews reported rank 4 fire behaviour through the night.
Wind and slope continue to be the biggest contributing factors for increased fire behaviour.
201 firefighters are assigned to this fire working with an additional 170 structural protection personnel from multiple departments, for a total crew of 371 firefighters.
Crews will continue building control lines from Sheep Creek Road on the northern flank of the blaze.
Assessment of control lines along Olalla Forest Service Road will begin today, Aug. 5.
Recommendations for Evacuation Orders and Alerts are in effect. For more information about Evacuation Orders and Alerts go to: Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and/or Penticton Indian Band.
EOC Update: Additional Evacuation ORDER issued for Electoral Areas G due to Keremeos Creek wildfire August 4, 2022, 6:30 pm https://t.co/WjQqth32nz pic.twitter.com/CiU53BEkV6
— RDOS EOC (@EmergMgtRDOS) August 5, 2022
@Rangers_mom
Jacqueline.Gelineau@kelownacapnews.com
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