A highly-visible wildfire burning around 15 kilometres north of West Kelowna is getting an aerial and ground attack.
BC Wildfire Service said it was responding to the wildfire located on the west side of Okanagan Lake, near Lake Okanagan Resort, with multiple aircraft and ground personnel.
The fire was spotted just after 6 p.m. Monday and was mapped at 0.2 hectares in size.
2:31 Heat, dry conditions and lightning strikes fuel B.C. wildfire season
“Aircraft are utilizing Okanagan Lake as a water source to respond to this incident,” The BC Wildfire Service wrote in a tweet.
“We would like to advise the public to leave the area immediately. Boaters must stay back so aircraft can conduct their work safely.”
Under B.C.’s Wildfire Act, a boater getting in the way of firefighting aircraft could face a violation ticket fine of $1,150 or an administrative penalty of up to $100,000.
Violators could also be charged with an offence under the Wildfire Act, which carries a maximum fine of $100,000.
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