A small crew and two fire trucks from Keremeos Volunteer Fire Department including task forces from other fire stations in the province have been deployed to help with structure protection at the Eagle Bluff wildfire north of Oliver.
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Keremeos fire chief Jordy Bosscha confirmed the fire department got the request Wednesday night from the Office of the Fire Commissioner. The crew of four left early this morning and are currently in the area as a cautionary measure as strong wind is in the forecast for tonight.
鈥淭he bush truck got assigned to a division and they are out working today. Our engine is on night shifts so they getting ready to go out tonight at 7 p.m.,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his particular deployment is for structure protection. We鈥檙e patrolling and monitoring and assisting where necessary.鈥�
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Bosscha said it鈥檚 not unusual to get these types of requests.
鈥淚t鈥檚 cautionary mostly. Forestry crews look after forests, they don鈥檛 look after structures. Structure fire guys help wherever they can,鈥� he said.
If conditions are favorable today, crews will be conducting another small scale planned ignition on the wildfire from the southeast Mudd Lake area to the McKinney Road area, west of Manual Canyon.
鈥� BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo)
Penticton fire chief Larry Watkinson confirmed that six task forces from municipal fire departments around the province are stationed in Oliver and helping by conducting patrols, supporting the wildfire efforts and backing up BC Wildfire Service.
The Penticton fire department is not involved, he said, because the city has its own extreme fire conditions.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not far from this fire anyway. If they needed us, we鈥檇 respond but the departments that are here are not in the extreme conditions we are in in Penticton,鈥� he said.
There is also the threat of thunderstorms predicted for the region Thursday night and Friday.
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Peachland Fire and Rescue also confirmed that a Type 6 Wildland Engine has currently been deployed.
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