Wildfire near Keremeos ‘being held,’ evacuation alert remains in place

The Young Creek wildfire burning near Cathedral Provincial Park is seen on July 11, 2025, in this photo from the B.C. Wildfire Service. (BCWS)

A wildfire that sparked Friday and prompted an evacuation alert near Keremeos, B.C., is now classified as being held, according to officials.

The BC Wildifre Service updated the status of the Young Creek wildfire Sunday, estimating its size at 50 hectares and noting that it is “projected, based on fuel and weather conditions and resource availability, to remain within the current perimeter, control line or boundary.”

An evacuation alert issued by the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen remains in effect, however.

The Young Creek Wildfire is believed to be human-caused and is burning near Cathedral Provincial Park, southwest of Keremeos.

The evacuation alert covers Cathedral Lake Lodge, Lake of the Woods Campground, Twin Buttes Campground, Cathedral Lake, Pyramid Lake and Ladyslipper Lake, according to the RDOS.

Anyone in any of those areas should be prepared to leave on short notice, the regional district said, adding that it is working closely with the Upper and Lower Similkameen Indian bands.

A total of 32 wildfire service personnel are responding to the fire, with three helicopters and heavy equipment also involved in the response.

“BCWS resources will continue to be onsite finishing the machine guard and wet line (a type of control line typically established using water), as well as begin mop-up and patrol to find and extinguish any hot spots within the fire perimeter,” Sunday’s online update said.