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Police are investigating the cause of the Bald Range wildfire that forced thousands to evacuate on Friday, say they are “examining all reports of suspicious activity which may have led to the start of the fire.”The B.C. government has banned recreational off-road vehicles from Crown land in much of southern B.C.RCMP have confirmed the death of an 80-year-old woman as a result of the wildfire near Summerland.Most of southern B.C. is under yellow and orange air quality warnings as smoke hangs in the air.The B.C. Wildfire Service is warning of the potential for wind and dry lightning Monday.Visit CBC’s livestory page for more.
The RCMP is investigating the cause of the fast-growing Bald Creek wildfire that forced the evacuation of Summerland on Friday night.
In a Monday afternoon news release, police said they want to speak with any witnesses to “actions or activities” around Princeton-Summerland Road and Bathville Road, and around the Crump and Trout Creek recreation sites.
Anyone with video or photos recorded in the area on the afternoon of Friday, Aug. 7 is asked to send to police.
As of Monday, the cause of the fire is listed by the B.C. Wildfire Service as “under investigation.” Forests Minister Parmar said the province would “gladly share” information on the fire’s origin when it is available.
“We do have some crews on the ground that obviously are involved in supporting RCMP in the investigation given that the cause has not been determined yet,” he said.
Police are also reminding people to obey the evacuation order, and said one person was arrested in the Summerland evacuation zone on Sunday.
Province issues off-road vehicle ban
The provincial government has banned the use of recreational off-road vehicles on Crown land across much of the southern Interior.
The order covers all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles and off-road side-by-side vehicles. It applies to the Kamloops and Southeast fire centres, as well as parts of the Cariboo and Coastal fire centres.
The province says the order is needed because off-road vehicles can unintentionally ignite wildfires under extremely dry conditions.
Anyone caught violating the ban could face an $1,150 fine.
Earlier Monday, the City of Merritt issued its own order closing all forested areas on the periphery of the municipality to recreational use.
Evacuation orders, alerts
Evacuation orders have been downgraded for hundreds of properties north of the massive Pear Lake wildfire near Clinton, B.C., in the Interior.
On Monday, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District said orders for 672 addresses in the communities of 70 Mile House, South Green Lake and Hutchinson Lake had been changed to evacuation alerts.
The Cariboo Regional District also downgraded an evacuation order for properties north of Green Lake, and lifted an evacuation alert for an area south of Gustafson Dog Creek FSR.
Evacuation orders for the Village of Clinton and its immediately surrounding area remain in effect due to the Pear Lake fire, which has burned 1,468 square kilometres and has destroyed structures on about 120 properties.
“The fire is still within striking distance, there’s hotspots around town, it’s still unstable north and south of town,” Clinton Mayor Roland Stanke told CBC’s Daybreak Kamloops.
On Sunday night, the Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB) rescinded an evacuation alert and downgraded part of an evacuation order related to the Bradley Creek wildfire. The fire, which is believed to have destroyed more than 200 homes, was classified as “being held” to its perimeter on Saturday and B.C. Hydro has restored power to the area.
WATCH | RCMP confirm fatality in wildfire near Summerland:
B.C. wildfires: Thousands flee Summerland, RCMP confirms death of 80-year-old
1 dead as result of fire in Summerland
The Penticton RCMP has confirmed the death of an 80-year-old woman who was fleeing the Bald Range wildfire near Summerland, B.C.
A witness reported the death to police early Saturday morning. The RCMP said the woman “died suddenly” while evacuating with family, and that her death is believed to be a result of the fire.
The B.C. Coroners Service is investigating the circumstances of the woman’s death, and police say there are no other known fatalities related to the fire.
The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) said Monday that the fire had grown slightly to 156 square kilometres, but that winds overnight weren’t as strong as forecast.
Better visibility on Monday could help air crews fighting the fire, but clear skies may also lead to more aggressive fire behaviour, the BCWS said.
WATCH | Summerland mayor says homes lost to wildfire:
Everyone in Summerland knows someone who has lost a home, says B.C. mayor
Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes told CBC News that homes have been lost, but that conditions aren’t safe enough to access the area and tally the damage yet.
But he said losses are significant, particularly in adjacent farming valleys.
We need to prepare for the fact that everybody is going to know somebody who has lost a home.- Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes
Summerland’s chief administrative officer confirmed on Sunday that the municipality’s downtown had survived the fire.
He said there was no timeline to return, but that officials were planning for a phased re-entry when conditions are safe.
Military on standby
Defence Minister David McGuinty says that while B.C. has not formally asked for military help, the Canadian Armed Forces are in “direct, constant contact” with the B.C. government and Ottawa.
He says the military is ready the moment it receives a formal request to act, and the situation was being assessed “hour by hour.”
Over the weekend, Ottawa approved a B.C. request for emergency assistance to help with shelter and accommodations for evacuees.
Smoky skies
Virtually all of southern British Columbia east of the Fraser Canyon remains under Environment Canada air quality warnings. The majority of that area is covered by an “orange” alert, warning of high smoke levels that can affect a person’s health regardless of age or health status and urging people to avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
The Kelowna International Airport said normal flight traffic resumed around 2 p.m. on Sunday, after major disruptions due to wildfire smoke. The airport said 40 flights were cancelled on Saturday and 26 were cancelled on Sunday.
The B.C. Wildfire Service said it is expecting “a high potential for lightning-caused wildfire starts,” along with elevated wind gusts. Environment Canada’s forecast shows the possibility of thunderstorms in some Interior areas.
Food bank steps up to help wildfire evacuees
Okanagan food bank hopes to ‘ease their pain’ as B.C. evacuees flee
There was little growth on the other major fires threatening communities across B.C. over the weekend, however fingers of the 517-square-kilometre Ainslie Creek wildfire near Boston Bar continue to slowly creep to the north, toward Highway 8, and east toward the Coquihalla Highway.
While wildfires are a natural part of B.C.’s forest ecology, experts say climate change from burning fossil fuels has increased both their frequency and their severity.