Residents allowed to return home as Okanagan wildfire now held

Scores of residents evacuated from their homes due to the Hullcar Mountain wildfire have been told they can now return.

The BC Wildfire Service last night moved 60 properties in the area, near Spallumcheen, from evacuation order to evacuation alert.

Another 60 properties under alert were given the all-clear.

The above 120 properties were placed under order or alert on Aug. 6.

According to the most recent update from the BCWS, which came late on Sunday night, the fire is now being held at 784 hectares.

The agency explained: “Fire activity has been observed at mostly rank 1 and 2, which means a low vigour surface fire, with some pockets of rank 3 on slopes in the late afternoon, which displays as a moderate vigorous surface fire.”

It added that smoke and fire activity will continue to be visible "until significant amounts of precipitation are received in the area."

According to BCWS, the fire was discovered on Aug. 5.

The agency suspects it was caused by lightning.

The fire remains a "wildfire of note," the most serious category.

BCWS said in its most recent update that there are 100 personnel at the fire, with three helicopters and "additional aviation resources" available.