BC Forest Service is investigating the bush fire, (sagebrush – antelope/brush grass).
Most of the land, north of dump road owned by the Thorp family.
Oliver Fire Chief Bob Graham, when talking to ODN this morning, said:
No wind helped the situation. Controlling the fire went well. No homes threatened.
BC Forest Service called immediately with a crew on site within minutes and a determination that a chopper with water would help the situation.
A Forest Service investigator on scene Tuesday said he would issue a report later in the day but he indicated to ODN that no clear evidence found. ‘Butts’ located near the road were determined to be “old”.
Graham commented on power lines at fire scene – first idea was to turn them off for safety reasons – but that left parts of Oliver and Osoyoos without electricity. Once it was determined that no water available without those power lines energized – pump houses/hydrants – it was turned back on.
For the record fire is at least five miles from Osoyoos Lake, not on the Indian Band Land (OIB) and is definitely in the Oliver Rural Fire Protection District which accounts for a 22 mile long section of land from Vaseux Lake to Road 22.