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Structure damage confirmed due to Crater Creek wildfire near Keremeos

The extent of the damage and the number of properties affected was not released
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The main Cathedral Lake Lodge building is still standing after the Crater Creek Wildfire burned through the region. (Cathedral Lake Lodge - Facebook)

The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen is in the process of notifying property owners of the Ashnola Road or Ewart Creek Road to confirm damaged or destroyed structures caused by the Crater Creek wildfire.

On Tuesday, Aug. 29, the Regional District confirmed that homes were destroyed or damaged .

The extent of the damage, and how many properties and structures were affected was not revealed in the release.

People who own or manage property along Ashnola Road or Ewart Creek Road are asked to contact the RDOS Emergency Operations Centre for further information about the condition of your property and available support at 250-490-4225.

The main building at the Cathedral Lakes Lodge survived the fire, however in a post to social media said they did state their basecamp building and equipment were destroyed by the fire.

READ MORE: Crater Creek fire burns right up to Cathedral Lakes Lodge’s door

A controlled ignition on the northwest corner of the fire was postponed a second time on Aug. 29 due to weather concerns. The corner remains the area currently the focus of efforts by BC Wildfire Service.

“The incident management team has to be 100 per cent comfortable, and so do our division supervisors on the ground crew before those planned ignitions go ahead, and they weren’t this morning,” said information officer Scott Southwell.

The controlled ignition plan will be reviewed in the coming days for whether it’s required or possible.

Rain was expected to hit the fire on Tuesday, but winds were expected in the region on Aug. 30.

Getting a more accurate size estimate of the fire is also expected to take time due to the scale of the blaze in comparison to other fires in the region.

A number of evacuation alerts were lifted for the Crater Creek wildfire on Aug. 25, with 74 remaining on alert.

In the RDOS there were 13 properties on Ashnola Road and Ewart Creek Road that remain on evacuation order. The Lower Similkameen Indian Band also has properties on alert and order due to the fire, though that list is not shared by the RDOS.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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Brennan Phillips

About the Author: Brennan Phillips

Brennan was raised in the Okanagan and is thankful every day that he gets to live and work in one of the most beautiful places in Canada.
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