Wildfire update: Bald Range reaches 25,021 hectares as lightning sparks new fires across southern Interior

Bald Range remains mapped at 25,021 hectares, evacuation orders remain in effect for specified properties in Summerland and near Beaton, and yellow air-quality warnings for wildfire smoke cover the North and South Okanagan.

Updated 1:35 p.m. PDT Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026

A regional wildfire update.

File photo.

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SUMMERLAND, B.C. — The Bald Range wildfire west of Summerland is now estimated at 25,021 hectares, while new lightning-caused fires are being assessed across the Okanagan, Boundary and West Kootenay. A small fire in Kelowna’s Black Mountain area was declared out Sunday morning, but evacuation orders tied to Bald Range remain in effect and severe thunderstorms are moving through parts of the Kootenays.

The picture changed several times Sunday as crews assessed new starts. By early afternoon, Holm Creek near Tulameen had increased to an estimated two hectares, Mount Britton had moved to being held and Clearwater Creek in the West Kootenay had moved to under control. A newly reported fire at Mount McLaren in the Boundary was listed as out of control at 0.009 hectares.

The figures below are BC Wildfire Service estimates. This roundup focuses on new fires, incidents of significant size and fires connected to evacuation notices or area restrictions.

Severe thunderstorms move through the Kootenays

Environment Canada had severe-thunderstorm warnings in effect Sunday afternoon for portions of West Kootenay, Kootenay Lake and the northern East Kootenay, including Invermere. The West Kootenay and Kootenay Lake warning followed a storm near Kokanee Creek Park that was moving northeast at 25 kilometres an hour, with strong wind gusts, hail up to the size of a quarter and heavy rain possible near Harrop, Balfour, Procter and Crawford Bay.

A second warning was issued for the Invermere area after a severe storm was detected over Windermere Lake Park. Damaging wind gusts, quarter-size hail and heavy rain were possible in Windermere Lake Park, Invermere, Windermere and James Chabot Park.

Severe-thunderstorm watches also covered the Boundary, Arrow Lakes–Slocan Lake, both the northern and southern East Kootenay, East Columbia, Yoho and Kootenay national parks, and Highway 3 from Paulson Summit to Kootenay Pass. Lightning and abrupt wind shifts can complicate suppression work around active fires.

Kelowna’s Tower Ranch fire is out

The lightning-caused fire reported Saturday evening in Kelowna’s Black Mountain area, behind Tower Ranch Golf Course, is out. BC Wildfire Service records identify K51783 as the Tower Ranch fire.

It was discovered at 6:27 p.m. Saturday, reached an estimated 0.009 hectares — about 90 square metres — and was recorded out at approximately 8:29 a.m. Sunday. Initial reports described the fire as being held and smaller than one hectare; BC Wildfire Service later changed the status to out. No evacuation alert or order was associated with the incident.

Bald Range remains the Okanagan’s largest fire

The Bald Range wildfire, K51490, remains a Fire of Note at an estimated 25,021 hectares. Its cause is undetermined.

Evacuation orders remain in effect for specified properties in Summerland and the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen. Summerland’s order was reduced Friday to 32 listed properties, while a much larger part of the community moved to evacuation alert. Evacuation alerts also remain in parts of the RDOS, Peachland and Central Okanagan West. Because the boundaries are property-specific, residents should check their address against the latest local-government evacuation map rather than rely on a general area description.

The RDOS says response and recovery work continues in affected areas, including danger-tree removal, power restoration, road-safety work, water-quality checks and active wildfire operations. A state of local emergency remains in effect in the regional district.

Elsewhere in the Okanagan, the person-caused Quilpituk Creek fire is under control at 1,275.7 hectares. Evacuation orders connected to that fire were downgraded Aug. 14, although some evacuation alerts remain in Central Okanagan West. The person-caused Bradley Creek Forest Service Road fire is also under control, at 2,658.1 hectares.

Several small fires from the latest lightning were on the map Sunday. Lacoma Creek and North of Darke Lake were each listed as out of control at 0.009 hectares, while West of Darke Lake was under control at the same size. North Missezula Lake, Skwekust Creek and McNulty Creek were also listed as out of control at 0.009 hectares.

Tulameen crews work a cluster of new fires

Six fires reported Saturday near Tulameen remained on the BC Wildfire Service map Sunday afternoon. Mark Creek was being held at 0.3 hectares. Lower Mount Rabbit, the largest of the cluster, was out of control at 12.17 hectares and its cause was undetermined.

Holm Creek was out of control at two hectares. Upper Murphy was out of control at 0.3 hectares, while Mount Britton was being held at 0.4 hectares. Davies Lake was out of control at 1.1 hectares. All except Lower Mount Rabbit were listed as lightning-caused.

The RDOS said no public action was required under its Tulameen wildfire advisory. Its emergency operations centre was monitoring the incidents, with BC Wildfire Service crews responding alongside the Tulameen and District Fire Department.

New start reported in the Boundary

The Hooper Creek fire, N61319, remained out of control at an estimated 50 hectares. The nearby Hooper Creek No. 2 fire, reported Sunday, was out of control at 0.009 hectares. Both were listed as lightning-caused.

Almond Creek was being held at 0.87 hectares. Mount McLaren, a new fire near the Canada–U.S. border, was listed as out of control at 0.009 hectares. The Boundary remained under a severe-thunderstorm watch Sunday afternoon.

West Kootenay and Arrow Lakes fires

In the Arrow Lakes area, the Inonoaklin Creek fire was being held at 1,510.71 hectares. Poplar Creek was being held at 664 hectares, while Hope Creek North remained out of control at 1,522 hectares. Area restrictions remain in place around all three fires.

The Johnson Creek fire was out of control at 679.7 hectares and the Lew Creek fire was out of control at 247.693 hectares. An evacuation order remains in place in Columbia Shuswap Regional District Area B for the Fish River Road and Incomappleux River Forest Service Road area near Beaton. The order area, associated with the Johnson Creek and Lew Creek fires, has not been expanded.

Mount Freya was out of control at 367.8 hectares and Galena Creek was out of control at 474.398 hectares. Mount Rollins was being held at 236.4 hectares and Evans Lake was being held at 246.42 hectares. The Mount Rollins area restriction was rescinded Aug. 17, although the wildfire remains active.

Other incidents in the broader region include the out-of-control Halfway River fire at 60 hectares and Duncan River fire at 80 hectares. Poplar Creek No. 2 was being held at 43 hectares, John Bull Mountain at 30 hectares, Hamill Creek at 35.5 hectares, Cultus Creek at 35.06 hectares and Kokanee Creek at 13.7 hectares.

Among Sunday’s small lightning starts, Beavervale Creek was out of control at 0.009 hectares, Bird Creek was out of control at 0.1 hectares and Bernard Creek was out of control at 0.009 hectares. Clearwater Creek had moved to under control at 0.01 hectares by early afternoon.

The Regional District of Central Kootenay listed no current evacuation alerts or orders as of this update. The Beaton order is outside the RDCK, in the Columbia Shuswap Regional District.

East Kootenay fires

The Matthew Creek fire west of Kimberley was being held at 1,825.95 hectares. Tower Creek No. 2 was being held at 1,327 hectares, and Calamity Creek was being held at 180.89 hectares.

Jumbo Creek remained out of control at 1,136 hectares. Sea Lion Mountain, northeast of Golden, was out of control at 1,221.48 hectares. Wait Creek was under control at 1,399.14 hectares, and Lussier River was under control at 115 hectares. Wait Creek and Lussier River were the two person-caused incidents in that group; the others were attributed to lightning.

Smaller fires included McGuire Creek, being held at 29.64 hectares; Ranger Lake, under control at 22.25 hectares; and Diorite, under control at 14.45 hectares. Area restrictions remain around Matthew Creek, Jumbo Creek and Sea Lion Mountain. The Calamity Creek area restriction was rescinded Aug. 17.

The Regional District of East Kootenay listed no evacuation alerts or orders in effect. That does not cancel the fire-specific area restrictions, which limit entry into designated backcountry zones.

Smoke and air quality

Yellow air-quality warnings were in effect for the North and South Okanagan on Sunday afternoon. No formal air-quality warning was in effect for the Central Okanagan, Boundary, Arrow Lakes, West Kootenay or East Kootenay at the time of this update, although smoke can shift rapidly and conditions may vary over short distances.

Environment Canada forecast a maximum Air Quality Health Index of 4, or moderate risk, across the Central, North and South Okanagan through Monday night, with localized readings as high as 7 in smoke. Castlegar was forecast to reach 5 Sunday night and 4 Monday. Cranbrook and Sparwood were each forecast to reach 4 Sunday night and Monday.

People who develop coughing, wheezing, chest discomfort or difficulty breathing should reduce exertion and move to cleaner air. Anyone with severe symptoms should seek medical help.

Nanton: restriction, smoke and strong wind

No Alberta emergency alert was in effect for Nanton on Sunday afternoon. The surrounding Municipal District of Willow Creek’s current status is a fire restriction.

Under the MD restriction, compliant fire pits, burn barrels, incinerators and recreational campfires are permitted, but the municipality is not issuing fire permits. The status can be tightened again with little notice if conditions deteriorate.

Environment Canada’s Nanton forecast called for local smoke, a 30 per cent chance of showers and a risk of a thunderstorm Sunday afternoon. West winds of 40 kilometres an hour, gusting to 60, were expected with a high of 26 C. Nanton does not have a dedicated AQHI reporting station, so conditions should be checked through current forecasts rather than inferred from a single nearby reading.

Fire bans and access restrictions remain

Category 1 campfires and larger Category 2 and 3 open fires remain prohibited across both the Kamloops and Southeast fire centres, subject to the boundaries and exemptions in the provincial orders. Recreational off-road vehicle use is also prohibited on Crown land throughout both fire centres.

British Columbia’s state of provincial emergency has been extended through Aug. 29. Fire status, evacuation boundaries, weather alerts and smoke conditions can change quickly; residents should use the latest official maps and local emergency notices before travelling into affected areas.

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