Contributed
UPDATE: 7 p.m
The manager of Pine Hills Golf Course in Penticton reaches out to everyone who helped extinguish Mount Nkwala on Monday afternoon.
Club coach John Chapman has reached out to Castanet to thank those who have helped, in a big or small way.
“As the manager of Pine Hills Golf Club, I want to thank everyone who helped with today’s fire: the Penticton and PIB fire departments, the BC Forest Fire Service, RDOS, RCMP and all neighbors who called to notify and offer help,” he wrote.
“While a cause has not been determined, the fire started near the upper access road that is frequented by people walking on the Pine Hills property.
“It’s a scary sight to see your property on fire. We and the residents above in Husula dodged a bullet today with the light wind and quick response.
“There is a lot of extra fuel growth due to the wet spring and it is about to become a tinder box in the heat so please be careful!”
The fire broke out around 2:30 p.m. Monday, but due to the quick action of those who responded, it was contained to an area of only half a hectare and was extinguished in a few hours.
UPDATE: 4:25 p.m
BCWS Fire Information Officer Melanie Bideau says Castanet crews have been successful in containing the wildfire.
The Mt Nkwala bushfire is now estimated at 0.5 hectares.
Bideau says the two BCWS helicopters have been released from the scene, but ground crews remain along with an officer who will assess the origin of the fire.
UPDATE: 3:50 p.m
Crews from BC Wildfire and the Penticton Fire Department appear to have contained the Mount Nkwala wildfire.
Smoke appears to have reduced significantly in the area.
Castanet will have more details as they become available.
UPDATE: 3:20 p.m
BC Wildfire continues to attack what has been named the Mount Nkwala wildfire (K50758), located 3.5 km northwest of Penticton.
BCWS is on scene along with Penticton Fire Rescue.
The wildfire is burning in sagebrush and grass and is estimated to be two hectares in size.
Currently, there are eight firefighters, one officer, two helicopters and air tankers responding to this incident.
The wildfire is highly visible from Penticton and Highway 97.
UPDATE: 2:40 p.m
BC Wildfire says they now have two helicopters on the scene.
“We also have three initial attack teams, a single resource responder, the Penticton Fire Department is also on scene and we also have a tanker,” said fire information officer Melanie Bideau.
Contributed
ORIGINAL: 2.30 p.m
A large plume of smoke can be seen on the West Bank above the Penticton Golf and Country Club.
Several people who have called the Castanet newsroom have indicated that the fire occurred shortly after 2 p.m., there are two fire engines working on the fire, but the fire is advancing along the bank, away from the houses
BC Wildfire Services has dispatched a single attack crew and helicopter to fight the fire.
Castanet will have more on this story as details become available.
Photo: contributed