Photo Belle Puri/CBC

Grown from 1 hectare to 100 hectarees in size in three hours. Aggressive fire with strong winds. Growing west to east towards the community of Peachland.

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A large forest fire is burning just outside of Peachland and Mayor Keith Fielding said he started seeing smoke around 3 p.m. It is burning around the Okanagan Connector near Trepanier Road. The fire is on the south side of Hwy 97C, just west of the tourist information booth. It is burning in brush and trees. One reports says homes have been burned. 40 personnel fighting the fire with aerial equipment from Kamloops and Penticton. Officials fear this could advanced to a very serious fire.

“There’s a very strong wind, so the smoke is blowing into Peachland down the valley towards West Kelowna,” Fielding told CBC News. Some residents have been evacuated and areas cordoned off.

“There is a fire there that’s being contained at the moment by forestry crews, and helicopters are deployed as well to douse the fire. Our Peachland fire service are providing assistance and are on the alert in case our equipment needs to be diverted.”

Residents in the region are preparing to leave as the flames draw closer and thick smoke billows in the sky.

Thanks to CBC / Global / Castanet