Forest fire on the Canada-U.S. border

A natural disaster seriously threatens an entire city.

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and the City of Osoyoos on Saturday night issued an evacuation order for residents of 732 properties in and around Osoyoos due to an out-of-control wildfire that has crossed the U.S.-Canada border.

The fire, dubbed Eagle Bluff, is burning about 4 kilometers from the town of Osoyoos in the the south of of British Columbia and is considered one of the most dangerous. The town, which is only 400 kilometers from Vancouver, has a population of just over 5,000 people. The province has been hit harder than ever by natural disasters this year.

Earlier reports in the Canadian media referred to the fire on the Canadian side of the border as "Lone Pine Creek", while in the U.S. it was called "Eagle Bluff." Now both countries have adopted the second name for themselves.

Sunday morning, residents of more than 2,000 homes in western Osoyoos, as well as on the west side of Lake Osoyoos, were placed on evacuation alert. An evacuation alert means residents of lands that received the warning should prepare to evacuate their homes, possibly without prior notice. An evacuation order means that residents of lands that have received it should leave their homes immediately.

The British Columbia Wildfire Service (BCWS) reports that the Eagle Bluff fire on the Canadian side of the border is 8.8 square kilometers, while on the U.S. side the fire has already burned more than 40 square kilometers, according to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WSDNR). And overnight from Saturday to Sunday, a serious increase in the fire's area is noticeable. BCWS said they are working closely with WSDNR firefighters to coordinate joint firefighting efforts along the Canada-U.S. border.

According to the BCWS, the fire growth on the Canadian side of the border was caused by strong winds Saturday afternoon. The spread of the fire slowed when the winds died down. BCWS also reported that 50 firefighters and 11 pieces of heavy equipment are working to extinguish the fire, with air support.

Over the weekend, the Osoyoos City Council asked residents to reduce their water usage so that the city's reservoirs would have enough water for firefighters to operate. The BCWS also urged residents in areas in close proximity to Eagle Bluff to refrain from boating on Lake Osoyoos so air tankers would have a chance to draw water to fight the fire.

The town of Osoyoos declared a state of emergency on Saturday, which will last until Aug. 5 unless extended. Evacuated residents are advised to go to a community center in the nearby town of Oliver. More than 132 families have reportedly already been evacuated as of 1 p.m. Sunday.