Kayla Pepper, a spokeswoman with the province’s Wildfire Management Branch, said the fire was about two hectares in size, and the Kamloops Fire Centre had sent two three-person initial-attack crews plus a response officer, one helicopter and two water tenders, which are used to haul water into the area.

Also battling the fire were air tankers from Kamloops and Penticton, she said, noting the fixed-wing aircraft drop retardant on the perimeter of fire.

“Wildfire Management Branch used air and ground resources to stop the fire from spreading, because it is in the area of some structures and it’s also near the highway,” said Pepper.

The Ministry of Transportation’s DriveBC website reports the highway was closed nine kilometre west of Osoyoos to single land alternating traffic.

Photos Roger Richardson