A fire 14 kilometres south of the Similkameen community of Cawston has grown to 60 hectares, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service.

The fire, on a slope of Richter Mountain near Highway 3, was caused by a lightning strike and reported on July 24, said fire information officer Nicole Bonnett.

The B.C. Wildfire Service has sent 44 firefighters to fight the blaze assisted by air tankers, helicopters and pieces of heavy equipment to build a fire guard, said Bonnett.

While the fire danger rating in much of the southern Interior of B.C. is ranked low to moderate, parts of the south Okanagan—Similkameen region are rated “high fire danger,” she said.

“There is obviously conditions for fires to start, such as this one, so people should be mindful of their fire use,” she said.

Source: BCWS and CBC