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UPDATE: Popular Penticton provincial park re-opens

Skaha Bluffs, a popular climbing and hiking spot, was closed for the Thomas Creek fire
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Skaha Bluffs sees thousands of visitors for its world class climbing and hiking. (Monique Tamminga Western News)

Skaha Bluffs Park is back open. It had closed because of the Thomas Creek fire near Okanagan Falls.

The popular climbing and hiking spot was closed until further notice by BC Parks under the Wildfire Act on July 22.

“In the interest of public safety, BC Parks has closed this park until further notice,” it reads on the BC Parks website, which you can access by clicking here.

As of noon Saturday, July 24, Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park is open again. The Area Restriction issued by BC Wildfire Services has been modified to exclude the park.

Skaha Bluffs is 489 hectares in size and open year-round offering world-class climbing. In fact, the park is so popular, the city of Penticton approved building a new parking lot located on Crow Place, and will have space for 90 parking spots near the access point to Skaha Bluffs.

READ MORE: New lot and picnic tables coming to Skaha Bluffs

The Thomas Creek fire has grown to 6,960 hectares in size as of July 22. The fire started July 11 at 100 ha. On Wednesday, BC Wildfire expanded the area restriction around the fire and added an OK Falls campground to its evacuation alert list.

The Allendale Lake Resort campground north-east of OK Falls has been put on evacuation alert as of 4:15 p.m. today, July 21.

The campground is off 201 Forest Service Road where fire crews have been actively battling the Thomas Creek fire. The RDOS Emergency Operations Centre issued the alert.

READ MORE: Campground on evacuation alert

READ MORE: Penticton climber makes documentary showcasing Skaha Bluffs

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
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