5pm
Sunday afternoons brush fire was located in a ravine past Road 22 behind a vineyard above the ‘cottages’ on the east side of osoyoos lake
Crews were notified of the fire around 430 in the afternoon. Firefighters from both Oliver Fire and Osoyoos Fire responded. BC forestry was notified and had no crews available in the area yet. Wind was a factor during the fire as it shifted in a couple directions over the course if the evening. Lots of harf work was made to contain the fire which is estimated at approx. 3 hectares in size, though this is not the amount of total area burned. Lots of surface burning was observed and lots of the antelope brush was burning quite vigorously. This fire is considered suspicious and is believed to be human caused.
This fire is believed to be associated with 4 other smaller fires that were reported and extinguished by Oliver Fire early Sunday morning around 1230-1am. Fire crews were out till arounf 330am dealing with those. 1 fire located on blacksage road. The other 3 on radio tower road off road 22. These 3 fires were all located within 50 ft of each other.
All fires are suspicious, human caused and will be working with rcmp to investigate due to the suspicious nature and timing of the fires.
Source: Oliver Fire Department