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Lightning catches tree on fire near Oliver home

Resident thanked the fire department for quick action, saying the boom probably heard from town
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Smoke can be seen where lightning hit this tree in Oliver Saturday, June 5, 2021. (Facebook)

An Oliver resident is thanking the fire department for their quick response when lightning struck a tree near her home on Saturday.

“Wanted to give a huge shout out to the Oliver Fire Department,” said Shannon Demelo on the Oliver Facebook group. Lightning struck a tree, catching it on fire around 2 p.m.

“Some of you may have heard the boom from town,” Demelo said.

The Oliver resident said firefighters were there ‘so fast’ to put out the lightning-caused fire. The tree is now very blackened by the lightning strike.

The fire department has blocked off the river dyke road from town to Buchanan Drive until the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen can come to fall the tree on Monday, she said.

On Thursday, June 3, Oliver firefighters were busy fighting a wildfire that was threatening homes on Road 13.

According to Oliver fire department deputy fire chief Rob Graham, multiple units responded and were quickly able to surround the fire with a wet guard.

It’s believed someone was using a weed wacker that hit a rock that sparked the fire.

READ ALSO: Two fires deemed arson in Oliver

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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