Shuswap firefighters aid fight against Eagle Bluff blaze

A trio of firefighters from the Sicamous fire department and others from the Columbia Shuswap Regional District are lending their help to the BC Wildfire Service in battling the Eagle Bluff fire burning near Oliver.

Responding to a request from the Office of the Fire Commissioner, Fire Chief Brett Ogino and firefighters Shane McKellar and Peterson Bailey left Sicamous at 4 a.m. in one of the department’s off road-capable vehicles in order to help efforts to keep the fire away from populated areas.

The CSRD has also responded, with a crew of three North Shuswap firefighters, Fire Chief Mike Engholm, Scotch Creek/Lee Creek firefighter Colton Barker and Celista firefighter Adam Perry, now in Oliver awaiting deployment, along with a mini-pumper truck from the Scotch Creek/Lee Creek Fire Department.

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Ogino said the fire is still burning up on the mountain, but the additional help from the Sicamous Fire Department and others will be necessary if the blaze becomes more aggressive.

“It’s still up on the mountainside but they’re expecting some wind and some craziness – we’re here in case it goes sideways,” said Ogino.

If conditions are favorable today, #BCWildfire crews will be conducting another small scale planned ignition on the #EagleBluff wildfire from the southeast Mudd Lake area to the McKinney Road area, west of Manual Canyon. pic.twitter.com/Zzpl4IBJoP

— BC Wildfire Service (@BCGovFireInfo) August 8, 2019

Personnel from other fire departments and structural protection teams have converged on the area, said Ogino, and will be working to protect developed areas just outside of Oliver which the fire is threatening.

“There’s some large RV parks and modular home places and lots of houses,” said Ogino. “We’re focusing on the area that it will come to if it does start coming into town.”

The Eagle Bluff fire is estimated at over 1,500 hectares in size and growing. According to the BC Wildfire Service, a controlled burn was planned for Thursday morning, Aug. 8, to reduce available fuel for the fire if conditions were suitable.

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Along with the municipal fire department and structural protection teams, 100 wildfire service personnel are being added to the contingent fighting the blaze.

-With Files from Black Press.