British ColumbiaA wildfire in B.C.’s South Okanagan, which prompted an evacuation alert for 190 properties in the Osprey Lake area, was rescinded on Sunday.Cause of Osprey Lake fire believed to be human activity: B.C. Wildfire ServiceAkshay Kulkarni · CBC News · Posted: Sep 20, 2025 6:59 PM EDT | Last Updated: 10 hours agoA wildfire above B.C.’s Osprey Lake, about 55 kilometres southwest of Kelowna, prompted evacuation alerts on Saturday. (Submitted by B.C. Wildfire Service)An evacuation alert issued Saturday, due to a wildfire in B.C.’s South Okanagan, has been rescinded. The Osprey Lake (Lee Creek) wildfire, approximately 55 kilometres southwest of Kelowna as the crow flies, was discovered on Friday, and covered an area of two hectares as of Saturday afternoon, the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) said.The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen had issued an evacuation alert for 190 properties in the Osprey Lake, Link Lake and Bankier areas due to the blaze, but it was rescinded on Sunday after BCWS crews said the fire was being held and was no longer expected to spread.Winds affected fire on SaturdayThe Lower Similkameen Indian Band said in a statement on Saturday that the blaze was being whipped up by forecasted winds and extremely dry conditions in the area.A number of helicopters are fighting the blaze. (Submitted by B.C. Wildfire Service)”An overnight fire-start has hit the Osprey Lake area, close to year-round residences and seasonal residences,” the band said in the statement. “This area is on the Princeton-Summerland Road, approximately halfway between the two communities.”The properties marked in yellow on this map are now under evacuation alert, according to the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen. (Submitted by Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen)The BCWS said it was responding to the fire with four helicopters and two air-tankers, and ground crews were fighting the blaze alongside the Osprey Lake Volunteer Fire Department.An evacuation alert means that residents should prepare to leave at a moment’s notice, while an evacuation order — which was not issued in this case — means residents should leave immediately.Officials say the blaze was caused by human activity, which is how all fires not caused by lightning are categorized.In a Saturday update, the wildfire service had said that central and southern B.C. would see a warm, dry and windy day.”Despite the slight downturn in conditions forecast for coastal regions, wildfire risk and activity across B.C., particularly in the [Interior] and southeast, remains elevated,” the service said.ABOUT THE AUTHORAkshay Kulkarni is an award-winning journalist who has worked at CBC British Columbia since 2021. Based in Vancouver, he is most interested in data-driven stories. You can email him at akshay.kulkarni@cbc.ca.
Wildfire evacuation alert rescinded in B.C.’s southern Interior
