2021 Christie Mtn. Fire Area Closure polygon

PUBLIC NOTICE
DATE: June 18, 2021
A. Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park is a Class A Provincial Park established April 21, 2010 comprised of 489
hectares east of Skaha Lake and south of Penticton and within the traditional territory of the syilx
people.
B. The Christie Mountain wildfire (K51287) north of Okanagan Falls on the east side of Skaha Lake burnt
with high level severity through the southern portion of the park within the Gillies Creek corridor.
C. Hazards to public safety resulting from the wildfire exist throughout burnt portions of the park,
including hazard trees, ash pits, trails concealed, directional signage destroyed, and potential slope
instability during significant precipitation events and in steep terrain.
D. Ecological values in burnt areas are highly sensitive and vulnerable to impacts from public use,
including damage to re-establishing vegetation, spread of invasive species, compaction of fragile soils,
changes to watershed hydrological characteristics and increased erosion potential in hydrophobic soils.
E. Immediately adjacent to Skaha Bluffs Park, the McTaggart-Cowan/nsək'łniw't Wildlife Management
Area, located in the traditional territory of the syilx people, is
(i) closed to mushroom picking, camping and motor vehicle use throughout, and
(ii) closed to public access within the Christie Mountain Fire burn perimeter
effective May 11, 2021 by order made under the authority of section 7(4) of the Wildlife Act ([RSBC
1996] CHAPTER 48 in order to reduce impacts to wildlife habitat and cultural values within the WMA
as a result of public use. Penticton Indian Band and the Province are working collaboratively to assess
and monitor public use in the WMA following the wildfire.
F. Section 17 of the Park Act states:
A Director or any Park Officer acting on the Director's behalf may:
(c) order any person in any park, conservancy or recreation area to cease or refrain from an action, an
omission or conduct that the director or park officer, in his or her discretion, considers dangerous to life
or property or detrimental to the public interest.Province of British Columbia
Order of the Regional Director
G. Section 28 of the Park Act states:
(1) A person who contravenes any provision of this Act commits an offence and is liable to a fine of up to
$1,000,000 or a term of imprisonment of not more than one year or both.
(3) When a contravention of the Act or regulations continues for more than one day, the person is guilty
of a separate offence for each day on which the contravention continues.
ACCORDINGLY, the Regional Director orders:
That effective June 18th, 2021 at 1200 PST the fire impacted portions of Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park,
found within the Gillies Creek corridor and as shown on the map below, remain closed to all users until
further notice.
Dated at Penticton BC, this 17th day of June, 2021.
John Trewhitt
Regional Director
BC Parks – Kootenay Okanagan Region
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy



PUBLIC NOTICE
DATE: September 14, 2020

A. Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park, comprised of 489 hectares east of Skaha Lake and south of Penticton, is a Class A Provincial Park established April 21, 2010.
B. The Christie Mountain wildfire (K51287) north of Okanagan Falls on the east side of Skaha Lake burnt with high level severity through the southern portion of the park within the Gillies Creek corridor.
C. Hazards to public safety resulting from the wildfire exist throughout burnt portions of the park, including hazard trees, ash pits, trails concealed, directional signage destroyed, and potential slope instability during significant precipitation events and in steep terrain.
D. Ecological values in burnt areas are highly sensitive and vulnerable to impacts from public use, including damage to re-establishing vegetation, spread of invasive species, compaction of fragile soils, changes to watershed hydrological characteristics and increased erosion potential in hydrophobic soils.
E. Section 17 of the Park Act states:
A Director or any Park Officer acting on the Director's behalf may:
(c) order any person in any park, conservancy or recreation area to cease or refrain from an action, an omission or conduct that the director or park officer, in his or her discretion, considers dangerous to life or property or detrimental to the public interest.
F. Section 28 of the Park Act states:
(1) A person who contravenes any provision of this Act commits an offence and is liable to a fine of up to $1,000,000 or a term of imprisonment of not more than one year or both.
(3) When a contravention of the Act or regulations continues for more than one day, the person is guilty of a separate offence for each day on which the contravention continues.

ACCORDINGLY, the Regional Director orders:
That effective September 14th, 2020 at 1200 PST the Gillies Creek Corridor portion of Skaha Bluffs
Provincial Park, as shown on the map below, is closed to all users until further notice. Dated at Penticton BC, this 14th day of September, 2020.