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No more properties are on evacuation order for Keremeos Creek wildfire

Evacuation orders for properties along Green Mountain and Sheep Creek Road rescinded, alerts lifted
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No more properties are on evacuation order because of the Keremeos Creek wildfire.

Residents of 25 properties along Green Mountain Road and Sheep Creek Road can now return home after the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen rescinded all evacuation orders for the blaze, as of 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Alerts were also rescinded for Apex Mountain, Olalla, Farleigh Lake and Highway 3A.

Select properties along Green Mountain Road and Maroon Valley Road remain on evacuation alert.

“The Keremeos Creek wildfire will continue to burn in the area but poses no current threat to homes,” the regional district said in an update. “Residents can expect to see smoke and potentially fire for several weeks within burnt areas.”

BC Wildfire Service said in its afternoon update that crews will continue to monitor the area, with fire behaviour expected in the southwest portion of the perimeter on Wednesday.

“You will still see some smoke coming from a few locations,” said Hugh Murdoch, incident commander from BC Wildfire Service in charge of the Keremeos Creek fire. “The efforts of the people fighting the fire on the ground, in the air, and the heavy equipment operators clearly made the difference.”

The fire is currently 6,950 hectares.

Evacuation orders for residents in Apex Mountain Village were rescinded on Tuesday afternoon.

Still, those in the area have been directed to watch for any fire activity outside the burnt area, BC Wildfire Service added.

There are currently 272 firefighters assigned to work the blaze, with resources shared between the Keremeos Creek and Richter Mountain wildfires.

The latter is considered held by BC Wildfire Service after it grew to 50 hectares amid a car crash on Highway 3 between Keremeos and Osoyoos last week.

Drivers in the area are reminded to slow down, watch for crews, and avoid stopping on roadways for the purpose of taking photographs.

READ MORE: Vehicle catches fire on Highway 3A in Olalla


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logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com