The BC Wildfire Service is responding to a two-hectare wildfire about two kilometres northeast of Rattlesnake Island, on the eastern shore of Okanagan Lake.

The fire, which is suspected to be human-caused, is a smouldering ground fire with some visible flame and is visible from Peachland and surrounding communities. It currently poses no threat to public safety or structures.

Together with land managers, including BC Parks, the BC Wildfire Service is using a modified-response approach to manage the East of Rattlesnake Island wildfire. With this type of response, a combination of tactics could be used (including direct and indirect attacks) to manage fire activity within a predetermined perimeter, in order to maximize the fire’s ecological benefits.

This method will reduce fuel accumulations, so that any future wildfires in the area will burn at a lower intensity and therefore be easier to manage. A modified response also helps restore the landscape’s natural fire cycle, which is every seven to 15 years in this part of the province. Autumn weather conditions assist with this type of wildfire management.

More information about the East of Rattlesnake Island wildfire is available at: www.gov.bc.ca/wildfiresofnote

To report a wildfire, unattended campfire or open burning violation, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone. For the latest information on fire activity, conditions and prohibitions, visit the BC Wildfire Service website: www.bcwildfire.ca

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