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Keremeos Creek wildfire evacuee: 'It's all our life's work up there'

Okanagan Lake on a hot, summery Sunday. The beach is packed, as is Lakeshore Drive. The water's filled with swimmers, floaters and boaters.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who> Keremeos Creek wildfire Sunday evening, seen from West Bench

Look to the north -- or the west or the east for that matter -- and you'll see nothing but clear blue sky.

But if you look south, it's a different story. That smokescreen lurking on the horizon is something Pentictonites have grown accustomed to in the past few summers.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who> Keremeos Creek wildfire as viewed from Hwy 3A

In 2020, it was the Christie Mountain Wildfire just east of Okanagan Falls. In 2021, it was the Thomas Creek wildfire, southeast of OK Falls, and the Mk'Mip Creek wildfire, which pretty much ran all the way from the mountains east of Oliver to the mountains east of Osoyoos.

Now in 2022, it's the Keremeos Creek wildfire, which has grown to 437 hectares in two days and forced the evacuation of 25 properties thus far.

Idalina Marcelino is one of those evacuees. She lives on Green Mountain Road -- the segment south of Apex Mountain and north of Hwy 3A to Keremeos.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who> Idalina Marcelino

Anyone who's driven or biked that segment knows it winds though an amazing chunk of countryside. Treed, crazily hilly, with creeks and ponds only adding to its allure.

We ran into Marcelino Sunday afternoon at a makeshift roadblock at the intersection of Green Mountain and Hwy 3A. It's the closest she's currently permitted to get to her home, so she spends a few hours there every day, looking up into the hills, over the crest where the heavy action's taking place, and wondering what will remain when she's finally allowed to return.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who> Keremeos Creek wildfire as viewed from Hwy 3A

She whiles away the hours taking photos of the smoke and this afternoon of the choppers, which she said she didn't see Saturday. Today she also brought donuts for the firefighters, which she left with the roadblock security guard.

The hardest part for Marcelino is knowing that on Friday, not long after the blaze ignited and before evacuation orders had even been issued, her off-the-grid 50-acre property had already been partly burned.

"I wasn't home," she said. "I'd left early in the morning (to drive to Rock Creek). I'd left my dog on the property.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

"So my neighbours closest to me started trying to find me to tell me there was a fire. I had no idea."

Those neighbours drove to Marcelino's home and grabbed her dog as she and her hubby made a speedy trip home from Rock Creek. Encountering no roadblock upon their return, the couple drove straight to their neighbour's place to pick up the dog.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

"There was no roadblock and we were only on alert," she said. "And when we went passed our property to get the dog, the fire was not there yet.

"But as we drove back, I looked at the mountain and I looked at my husband and said, 'the fire is on our property up above.' It was that quick. That fire came over the top and straight down."

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

The two finally arrived home and switched on their sprinklers and hosed down the grass surrounding the house.

And that's when they got the word. They had to leave.

"They came to the house and said you guys gotta go. We moved a few vehicles before we were told to leave, but when you're told to go, you do."

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who> Keremeos Creek wildfire as viewed from Hwy 3A

We asked Marcelino to point up the hill in the direction of her home. She gestured to an area over the rise where the smoke was particularly heavy and bucketing helicopters appeared to be focusing their efforts.

She said she's heard nothing to date.

"Of course I'm worried," she said. "We're scared. We all are. It's all our life's work up there."

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who> The Green Mountain Road roadblock

The latest from the BC Wildfire Service Sunday evening indicates that 37 firefighters, eight helicopters and four pieces of heavy equipment have been on the job. An "Incident Management Team" has assumed management of the fire as of noon today.

Meanwhile at Apex Resort, GM James Shalman announced on social media Sunday afternoon that, "The snowmaking guns are primed and ready if needed."

For more on the Keremeos Creek wildfire, check out our always-updated report here.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who> Keremeos Creek wildfire as viewed from Hwy 3A



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