A new wildfire sparked 17 kilometres west of Osoyoos has already prompted the BC Wildfire Service to recommend that residents in the area be prepared to leave their homes.
An evacuation alert has been issued by the Regional District Okanagan Similkameen for the Sumac Road area, along Highway 3 due to the Richter Mountain wildfire.
It started along Highway 3 Thursday night and is currently mapped at 40 hectares and is being worked on by both BC Wildfire Crews and the Keremeos fire department.
It is currently classified as out of control and there are 33 BC WIldfire personnel responding, one water tender and aerial resources being used.
DriveBC indicates there was a car fire between Chopaka Road and Nighthawk Road on Highway 3, and the stretch of road was closed late last night. It’s currently open to single-lane alternating traffic.