
Wildfire closes Highway 97 between West Kelowna and Peachland, B.C.
DriveBC says a stretch of Highway 97 between Peachland and the Highway 97C junction is closed in both directions due to the fire, which was measured at five hectares in size as of 3 p.m. PT.
Officials expect Highway 97C will also be fully closed due to the blaze near Drought Hill. It is already closed eastbound at the junction.
The fire is suspected to have been started by human activity, a broad designation that includes any fire not caused by lightning.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Saskatchewan, Parks Canada firefighters continue to strengthen defenses against Buhl fire
Crews working to beat back the sizeable forest fire burning its way into the Prince Albert National Park had to change tactics on Sunday, after smoke grounded aerial operations for the day. In a joint update from Parks Canada and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) Monday, officials say the low-lying smoke and fog helped keep the intensity of the Buhl fire low, and crews were able to make 'meaningful progress.' The Buhl fire, the product of a lightning strike that was first identified on June 29, grew to about 95,322 hectares as of midday Monday, with just over 13,000 hectares within the national park, and the remaining 82,094 hectares on provincial Crown land. Since the aerial divisions were grounded for the day, they were reassigned to other areas, according to the two agencies. Firefighters continued bulldozing near the northern perimeter to clear out some of the excess fuel and limit the fire spread. Others continued their direct suppression efforts along the eastern and southeastern fire perimeters and extinguishing hotspots along Highway 916, Parks Canada said. Crews also worked to strengthen defenses around key structures by running a high-volume sprinkler system to dampen a fuel break around the resort village of Ramsey Bay and removing potentially hazardous trees along the sprinkler hose line to prevent damage to the system, the SPSA said. The national park reissued a pre-evacuation alert on Aug. 1, and that remains in effect. The park and the townsite of Waskesiu are still open, but all of the backcountry trails are closed until further notice. On Highway 2 north of Waskesiu, the Ditch fire is ongoing. The road is still open, but officials say travelers may see fire activity from the road and visibility may be reduced by smoke. Firefighters, helicopters and heavy machinery are working adjacent to the roadway, the SPSA said. Fire distance from communities:


CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Toronto and Montreal air still among the worst globally
Watch Canadian wildfires continue to impact air quality both in Canada and the U.S., IQAIR's NA Division CEO Glory Dolphin Hammes joins CTV to explain the effects.


CBC
6 hours ago
- CBC
Wildfires force thousands from their homes across Canada
From coast to coast, thousands of Canadians have had to flee their homes because of wildfires, and many more are experiencing smoky skies with potentially dangerous air quality.