Stock photo courtesy of the BC Wildfire Service

By Liam Verster

First Fire of the Year

Update: Wildfire sparks near Lumby, now under control

Mar 18, 2024 | 3:00 PM

UPDATE 3 p.m.

The North Okanagan’s first wildfire of the year was near Lumby over the weekend.

The B.C. Wildfire Service said a three hectare fire broke out in the Creighton Valley area, southeast of Lumby, Sunday, March 17.

The fire was within the jurisdiction of the Lumby Fire Department.

Lumby fire chief Tony Clayton said it started just after 12 p.m.

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“We responded, got a handle on it and requested assistance from BC Wildfire. Yesterday, we had some control lines around the outside which held overnight,” Clayton told Vernon Matters.

Clayton said Lumby, with help from Enderby, BX-Swan Lake and provincial firefighters, have been dousing hot spots.

“It’s under control and we’re hoping to have it pretty much wrapped up (out) by the end of the day (Monday).”

The fire chief said it was human caused.

“A person was doing a little bit of clean up and had a couple of little fires going. All of sudden, one got into the dry grass and took off, and because of the steepness and dry fuel, it took off faster than he could handle it.”

Clayton said it was an accident.

“The person who was doing the clean-up, he stayed around all afternoon with extinguishment, so it was purely accidental. He just wasn’t quite prepared for how quick it took off in the dry grass.”

No structures were threatened.

Clayton concluded by noting it is very dry and people have to be careful when burning.