The BC Wildfire Service says crews are tackling a ground fire outside of Lillooet, B.C., that they suspect was human caused, adding to dozens of blazes sparked by recent thunderstorms. Smoke rises from a ground fire near Lillooet, B.C., in an undated handout photo published to social media. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-B.C. Wildfire Service, *MANDATORY CREDIT*
Hundreds of residents just south of Penticton have been ordered out of their homes and thousands more are on evacuation alert as an aggressive wildfire burns nearby.
The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen issued an evacuation order for more than 300 properties in the Heritage Hills area yesterday afternoon.
The City of Penticton has warned residents of nearly 3700 properties on its southeast side to be ready to leave on short notice, and 116 properties in the Upper Carmi area are also on alert.
A separate 18 hectare fire near Beverdell south of Carmi has also prompted an evacuation alert for 44 properties as BC's unusually quiet wildfire season has come to an abrupt end.