1.95°C Vancouver

Aug 7, 2020 12:16 AM -

Properties spared, evacuation lifted after grass fire threatens Penticton homes

Share On

Residents of about 80 homes in Penticton, B.C., were allowed to return to their properties just hours after being forced out by an aggressive grass fire.

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen says an order to evacuate a section of Penticton's West Bench region was lifted early Thursday afternoon.

First responders began ordering people to leave the area at about 9 a.m. as the fire flared, briefly closing Highway 97, but limited traffic was moving again around noon.

All affected residents have been allowed to return but only pedestrian access was available to 17 properties until fire hoses and equipment could be removed.

No homes were damaged and the Kamloops Fire Centre confirms crews are mopping up the one-hectare blaze.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Latest news

b-c-launches-new-forestry-and-emergency-management-testbed-under-look-west-plan
BCDec 16, 2025

B.C. launches new forestry and emergency management testbed under Look West plan

The B.C. government has launched a new Forestry Innovation and Emergency Management Testbed aimed at helping local companies develop and scale technologies to better protect communities from wildfires, floods and other extreme weather events. The initiative is part of the province’s Look West economic plan, which focuses on strengthening domestic industries and reducing reliance on external markets. Delivered through Innovate BC’s Integrated Marketplace, the provincewide testbed will allow B.C. businesses to pilot technologies in real-world settings tied to wildfire and flood prevention, f
five-month-nanaimo-rcmp-probe-leads-to-drug-trafficking-and-firearm-charges
BCDec 16, 2025

Five-month Nanaimo RCMP probe leads to drug trafficking and firearm charges

A five-month investigation by Nanaimo RCMP has resulted in multiple drug and firearm-related charges against two Nanaimo residents, following the seizure of controlled substances, weapons and body armour from a local residence. Police say the investigation began in early November 2024 after general duty officers received information that a home in Nanaimo was being used to traffic illegal drugs. With assistance from the RCMP General Investigation Section and the Projects Drug Unit, officers executed a search warrant at the residence on April 17, 2025. During the search, investigators seized qu
federal-buy-canadian-procurement-rules-take-effect-prioritizing-domestic-industries
CanadaDec 16, 2025

Federal ‘Buy Canadian’ procurement rules take effect, prioritizing domestic industries

The federal government’s new ‘Buy Canadian’ procurement policy came into force today, marking a significant shift in how Ottawa purchases goods and services for major public projects. The policy, announced earlier this fall, is designed to give preference to Canadian-made products and Canadian workers in federal contracting. The government says the approach is aimed at strengthening domestic industries and protecting supply chains during a period of ongoing global trade uncertainty. In its first phase, the policy applies to federal contracts valued at $25 million or more. These projects
AlbertaDec 16, 2025

Inmate convicted in Edmonton prison killing was already serving life sentence for Calgary murder

A man already serving a life sentence for the murder of a Calgary caseworker has been convicted in the killing of a fellow inmate at a maximum-security federal prison in Edmonton. Brandon Newman was found guilty last week of manslaughter in the 2022 stabbing death of 33-year-old Bretton Fisher at the Edmonton Institution. Newman is currently incarcerated for the second-degree murder of Deborah Onwu, a caseworker who was stabbed 19 times at an assisted-living facility in Calgary in 2019. Court heard that tensions escalated inside the prison after Fisher confronted Newman over the earlier killin
heavy-rain-warnings-remain-in-southwest-b-c-as-flood-recovery-continues-in-fraser-valley
BCDec 16, 2025

Heavy rain warnings remain in southwest B.C. as flood recovery continues in Fraser Valley

Residents in parts of southwestern British Columbia are being warned to prepare for more heavy rainfall as cleanup efforts continue following recent flooding in the Fraser Valley. Environment Canada says up to 70 millimetres of rain could fall across areas including Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley through Wednesday morning. The forecast comes as floodwaters linked to the Nooksack River in Washington state begin to recede, allowing cleanup operations to start earlier this week in several low-lying Fraser Valley communities. Provincial officials say the flood threat is not over. B.C. Emerg

Related News