The fire east of Osoyoos Lake is and was a controlled burn says OIB representative Aaron Stelkia and he stated it never got out of control.

Stelkia says about 40 acres was in the burn zone and he camped there over night. He had hoped that more of an area had been treated.

He acknowledged that there was concern expressed by OIB members and residents in the south end of the valley because the smoke and flames were seen at night. He said he had about a hundred calls on his cell phone.

This is the time of year when controlled burns are used to renew the soil and get rid of fuel on the forest floor.

Stelkia warned that a similar burn will occur near Oliver when the circumstances are ideal.

Osoyoos Indian Band member Raylene Baptiste said people on the reserve were watching the fire Tuesday, because it looked like it was getting out of control.

“My aunt Colleen Baptiste reported it around 4 p.m. because she was concerned and lives on Radio Tower Road below where it was burning,” she said.

People hiking and driving in the area also noticed the flames on the hillside.

People who live and work near the fire were keeping a close eye on the flames and Osoyoos Fire Chief Rick Jones said a lot of people were calling concerned about it.

Jones said the large fire was started by a band member to control the underbrush. Both the Osoyoos Fire Department and Forestry were also notified as a courtesy Tuesday morning that the controlled burn was being done.

“Because it’s a forestry area up on the hill, they alert them,” he said. “But they alert me as well, because I get a lot of calls.”

BC Forest Fire Info:

For all those who have been asking: we’ve been made aware of the fire taking place east of Osoyoos. It is a prescribed fire being conducted by a member of the Osoyoos Indian Band for habitat restoration and fuel reduction purposes.Prescribed fires are common this time of year in this region, as land managers work to remove fuels and mitigate future risk.

With files from Castanet