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A satellite image taken shortly before a wildfire sparked an evacuation in West Kelowna has revealed how the fire was ready to grow. The image, provided by satellite imaging company Planet Labs, shows the McDougall Creek wildfire just hours before winds and temperatures caused the fire to intensify. Mike Flannigan, a fire weather and climate change expert from Thompson Rivers University, analyzed the image and noted the wind direction indicating that the fire was ready to spread. He also tracked the fire as it grew eastward towards West Kelowna. Flannigan mentioned that the fire’s active state at 11 a.m. signaled that it would be an active day for firefighting.

By Thursday evening, the wildfire had grown to 1,100 hectares and was at Rank 5 fire behavior, making it extremely dangerous for firefighters, according to the BC Wildfire Service. The fire was pushed eastward into the Okanagan Valley by powerful winds from a dry cold front. Smoke and orbital delays made it difficult for Planet Labs to capture detailed images of the fire growth.

The extreme fire conditions, worsened by the drought, prompted emergency personnel to conduct a tactical evacuation in parts of West Kelowna. Thousands of people were displaced, and the fire damaged or destroyed numerous homes. The fire also spread north of Kelowna due to burning debris carried by the wind. On Friday, the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus was evacuated, and Kelowna’s landfill caught fire.

As a result of the threats to people and property in the region, the province declared a state of emergency. The fire has burned 11,000 hectares as of Monday, but cooler temperatures and smoky skies have reduced its intensity. However, firefighters are still working to extinguish structure fires and protect the urban area at risk.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but Flannigan emphasized that the conditions for extreme fire weather existed prior to its outbreak. He expressed concern about the prolonged fire season and the well-being of firefighters. This fire adds to the devastating wildfire season in British Columbia and across Canada. Over 14 million hectares of land have burned in the country, surpassing the previous record set in 1989. While fire activity has decreased, thousands of firefighters and aircraft are still battling fires across the province, with additional international assistance expected to arrive. Flannigan worries that the fire weather conditions could worsen again in the coming weeks, prolonging the season’s duration.

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