Firefighters patrolling the site of the Harper Ranch Road fire along Shuswap Road on July 6, 2026. (Image Credit: Kent Simmonds/CFJC Today)

By Victor Kaisar

Landscape Fire

Patrols continuing at site of highly visible Shuswap Road fire

Jul 9, 2026 | 11:35 AM

TK’EMLUPS TE SECWÉPEMC — Kamloops Fire Rescue says regular checks at the site of a Monday’s (July 6) highly visible landscape fire along Shuswap Road are still ongoing, but the risk has subsided.

The 20-hectare fire was classified as under control on Tuesday afternoon and KFR Platoon Chief Kris Krutop told CFJC Today no visible signs of smoke or fire were seen during a check Thursday (July 9) morning.

“It’s routine that we check the bases on trees that have been burned out as roots can burn underground for a little while,” Krutop said. “We just make sure there are no hazardous trees and that there is no further threat of fire or ash pits or things like that that could potentially create challenges.”

Firefighters from the City of Kamloops, Tkemlúps te Secwépemc and the BC Wildfire Service responded to the area of Shuswap Road and Harper Ranch-Pinantan Road around 2:30 p.m. Monday. The blaze was classified as ‘being held’ about four hours later but work on scene was not done.

Krutop said crews from Kamloops Fire Rescue and the BC Wildfire Service will continue to patrol this fire today in the hopes that it can be declared out before the end of the week.

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“Yesterday, we did a full shift there during daylight hours, just like the two days previous,” Krutop said. “We worked with forestry that whole time. Today is the first day we’ve done patrols only. We did one at 10:00 a.m. this morning. Forestry is going to go out there, I believe, early afternoon, and our crews will go out there probably around 5:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. tonight to have a look.”

“If they don’t get reports of any fire activity today, then they may choose to reclassify tomorrow, but that’s totally up BC Wildfire.”

This is believed to be a human-caused fire, but investigations to determine a more specific cause are still ongoing.

“Just bush and trees damaged, it was reported to me,” Krutop added. “Unaware of any damage to buildings, fencing, anything tangible. That would all come out in the investigation that have been conducted by multiple agencies.”

“It’s kinds of a weird one because of our jurisdictional boundaries.”

by Victor Kaisar

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Patrols continuing at site of highly visible Shuswap Road fire

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