Homes confirmed lost in Rock Creek fire; fire remains uncontained
BC Wildfire Service has been able to do more accurate mapping of the Rock Creek fire, which started Thursday, and has determined that 29 homes have been lost as well as an additional 11 structures. Rock Creek Riverside Campground confirmed via their Facebook page that their home was one of the structures lost. The campground...
CUPW Save Canada Post Caravan rides into Nelson Monday
Postal workers from across the country refuse to take recent cutback decisions by Canada Post sitting down. Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) National President, Mike Palecek and the Save Canada Post Caravan is expected to roll into Nelson Monday for a rally outside City Hall. “We want people to know something can be ...
Highway 3 near Rock Creek re-opened to traffic; West Rock Creek fire now estimated at 3,750 hectares
Traffic is once again flowing on the southern highway route through BC after officials re-opened Highway 3 between Midway and Osoyoos late Saturday. The road had been closed to traffic due to the West of Rock Creek Wildfire. Drive BC now reports the road is re-opened from 14 kilometers east of Osoyoos to Midway. However, there...
Regional fire update
The Southeast Fire Centre is reporting 46 new fires in the region since Thursday, all but two of which were lightning caused (the Rock Creek fire is believed to be human caused, but that is under investigation right now). There was also significant lightning last night and the night before, and fire centre information officer...
Environment Canada/IHA issue smoke advisory for Kootenays
The Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the Interior Health Authority, has issued a smoky skies advisory for the southern areas of the Okanagan, Boundary and Kootenay regions, spanning the communities of: Oliver, Osoyoos, Rock Creek, Grand Forks, Castlegar and Creston. These areas are affected by local and transboundary...
No more angling in South Kootenays
The Government of B.C. is suspending angling for the southern Kootenays due to ongoing warm water temperatures and low flows. Effective Aug. 15 through Sept. 15, 2015, virtually all angling in streams and rivers in Wildlife Management Units 4-3 through 4-9 is suspended. The closure has been put in place to protect fish stocks...
Rock Creek and Washington fires growing rapidly
Update: The Stickpin fire is now estimated to be 8093.7 hectares (20,000 acres) Edited: There was an error in the original acreage for the Stickpin part of the story and that has been corrected. A fire that started in Rock Creek has grown overnight to encompass 2500 hectares (6177.6 acres). In comparison, Vancouver's Stanley...
UPDATE: Thunderstorm watch ends for Boundary/West Kootenay
The thunderstorm watch for the West Kootenay, Boundary, Slocan Lake, Arrow Lakes regions has been removed by Environment Canada. The storm passed through the region Saturday morning dropping rain and sending lightning. A few showers will continue through the morning, with clouds filling the sky and a 60 percent chance of rain...
3000 acre fire burning in Washington; increases smoke in Boundary
A 1214-hectare (3000 acre) fire south of Grand Forks is burning northeast of Republic, Washington. The Stickpin fire (named for the Stickpin trail) was reported on Tuesday and 3:30 p.m. and is believed to be caused by lightning. According to the Collville National Forest Service’s Incident Information System, the fire is burning heavy dead wood […]
Evacuations and road closures near Rock Creek
Update (11:01 p.m.): New highway closures include Hwy 33 closed in both directions from Rock Creek to Beaverdell. Hwy 3 is closed in both directions from Nine Mile Pit to Midway and Hwy 3 is closed from 14 km east of Osoyoos (Anarchist Rest Mtn rest area) west to Rock Creek. Update (10:35 p.m.): A forest fire that started ...
