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A satellite image taken shortly before the McDougall Creek wildfire in West Kelowna provides insight into the fire’s potential for growth. According to fire weather and climate change expert Mike Flannigan, the image showed that the fire was active and ready to spread due to the direction of the wind. Flannigan tracked the fire’s growth eastward and noted that it reached a stage of fire behavior where firefighting became extremely dangerous.

The wildfire rapidly expanded to 1,100 hectares and reached Rank 5 fire behavior, with flames jumping into the crowns of trees. A dry cold front with hot winds pushed the fire further into the Okanagan Valley. However, the satellite imaging company, Planet Labs, faced challenges in capturing the fire’s growth due to orbital delays and the significant amount of smoke produced.

The explosive fire conditions were exacerbated by drought, creating a textbook scenario. Emergency personnel conducted a tactical evacuation in parts of West Kelowna as thousands of people were displaced, homes were lost, and the fire crossed Okanagan Lake. The fire likely spread north of Kelowna as burning debris was carried by the wind.

The severity of the situation led to the declaration of a state of emergency by the province. Visitors were banned from using temporary accommodations in the South Okanagan, and officials urged outsiders not to visit the region. As of Monday, the fire had burned 11,000 hectares, but cooler temperatures and smoky skies reduced the fire’s intensity. However, firefighters from across the province continue to battle structure fires and protect the urban area.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but Flannigan highlighted that all the conditions for extreme fire weather had come together. The devastating wildfire season in British Columbia and Canada has seen over 14 million hectares of land burned, breaking previous records. Despite some respite in fire activity, thousands of firefighters and numerous aircraft are still actively fighting fires. Flannigan expressed concern that the fire season may persist due to the potential for hot, dry, and windy weather in the coming weeks.

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