Visitors and residents to south central B.C. are being warned to pack their bags after an evacuation alert was given for an out-of-control wildfire in the Okanagan-Similkameen area.
The 50-hectare Young Creek blaze near Keremeos triggered the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Emergency Operations Centre’s (RDOS EOC) activation on Friday night.
Local authorities are is working closely with both the Upper and Lower Similkameen Indian Bands, and the B.C. Wildfire Service has responded to the fire with 32 ground personnel, three helicopters and heavy equipment crews.
The evacuation alert covers approximately 21 kilometres on Ashnola Road and includes the following areas:
— Cathedral Lake Lodge
— Lake of the Woods campground
— Twin Buttes campground
— Cathedral Lake
— Pyramid Lake Cathedral Lake Park only partly reopened in June as it rebuilds from the 2023 Crater Creek wildfire.
— Ladyslipper Lake
The Ashnola River vehicle bridge, which provides access to Lakeview Road, Cathedral Lakes Lodge, and the core area of the park, was destroyed and is under reconstruction. Work on the bridge is scheduled to be completed by fall 2025.
Lakeview Road beyond the bridge was also significantly damaged, and will remain closed until repairs can be completed. Repairs will be made as machinery is able to access damaged areas. Cathedral Lake Lodge remains closed until road access is restored.
Lake of the Woods and Pyramid campgrounds were destroyed by the fire. Reconstruction is planned for 2026 to 2027.
The fire is currently measured at a rank three fire, meaning a moderately vigorous surface fire with a moderate rate of spread.
The RDOS EOC has been activated to a level one event for monitoring, meaning no additional resource support is anticipated for a normal fire activity event.Those in the area should prepare for evacuation should it be necessary, and will be given as much advance notice as possible, though changing conditions might mean minimal warning time.