Skip to content
worldfires
en
CA · Canada · →

North Okanagan E fire, 17 July 2021 North Okanagan E

Out · last detection 20 Oct 2021, 10:12 UTC

The fire started on 17 July 2021 in North Okanagan E, Canada, and satellites saw it burning for 96 days. Canada’s CWFIS (Natural Resources Canada) mapped an official burnt perimeter of 3,658 hectares from satellite imagery, spread across a single census subdivision.

It is the 220th largest in British Columbia since 2016 (of 448 with a page). Number 169 in Canada in 2021, of 304.

Compare with…

Suggestions: Central Kootenay K · 2026Central Okanagan · 2021Central Kootenay J · 2018

Burnt area
3,658ha
official perimeter (CWFIS)
Duration
96days
17 Jul 2021 – 20 Oct 2021
Census subdivisions hit
1
municipalities
Started on
17 Jul
2021
Heat detections
1,476
in a single hotspot: 446 MW
Danger at start
24
High · FWI index
Average daily power
696MW
detected power per day, on average

Where it burned

HOTSPOTS BY DAY 17 Jul20 Oct
20 Oct 2021

How it evolved, day by day

19 Jul 2021 · 3,488 MW · 103 20 Jul 2021 · 4,339 MW · 284 21 Jul 2021 · 1,540 MW · 206 22 Jul 2021 · 902 MW · 98 23 Jul 2021 · 933 MW · 81 24 Jul 2021 · 469 MW · 91 25 Jul 2021 · 1,431 MW · 100 26 Jul 2021 · 1,519 MW · 132 27 Jul 2021 · 116 MW · 68 28 Jul 2021 · 39 MW · 30 29 Jul 2021 · 131 MW · 30 30 Jul 2021 · 1,143 MW · 63 31 Jul 2021 · 1,394 MW · 117 3 Aug 2021 · 28 MW · 7 4 Aug 2021 · 4 MW · 1 5 Aug 2021 · 62 MW · 14 6 Aug 2021 · 6 MW · 3 14 Aug 2021 · 2 MW · 1 15 Aug 2021 · 453 MW · 18 16 Aug 2021 · 11 MW · 1 19 Aug 2021 · 2 MW · 2 9 Sept 2021 · 11 MW · 1 12 Oct 2021 · 45 MW · 16 14 Oct 2021 · 12 MW · 5 19 Oct 2021 · 26 MW · 3 20 Oct 2021 · 1 MW · 1
19 Jul 20 Jul 23 Jul 27 Jul 31 Jul 6 Aug 19 Aug 19 Oct

Fire radiative power detected each day, in megawatts, and number of hotspots. The magenta bar marks the peak day.

The weather it burned in

32°high
63km/h · peak gust
9%lowest humidity

It had gone 8 days without rain (1 mm or more) when it started. Rain came after the fire: 3.2 mm on 20 Oct.

This area had burned before

No earlier perimeters overlap this fire since 2016, when the satellite record begins.

How big is it?

10 km
It burned the equivalent of 2.3% of the area of London (37 km² against 1,583 km²).

London boundary: geoBoundaries · Office for National Statistics (Open Government Licence v3.0).

This compares size, not location: both shapes are at the same scale, north up, centred on each other.

What happened to each census subdivision

  1. North Okanagan E where it started
    3,622 ha reached on 19 Jul
    1.4 %

Burnt area inside each census subdivision, from crossing the official perimeter with administrative boundaries. The distance runs from the point marking the centre of each area to the nearest fire: staying a kilometre away does not mean it reached the houses.

People and buildings inside the perimeter

GHSL 2020
Built-up area< 0.1 ha
Residents< 20

Inside the perimeter there was no noticeable built-up land and almost nobody lived there (GHSL 2020, satellite-based estimate).

This is an estimate on 100 m cells, made from satellite imagery and census data: it does not mean that homes burned or that anyone was harmed. The perimeter also contains land that never burned.

Source: Global Human Settlement Layer (GHS-BUILT-S and GHS-POP R2023A), European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC), © European Union, CC BY 4.0. Sum inside the perimeter computed by WorldFires. human-settlement.emergency.copernicus.eu

The weather day by day

ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis at the fire location, the standard reference for past weather, and the Canadian Fire Weather Index (the same system Copernicus uses), computed by WorldFires from that data. Days after the fire run until the first rain.

Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0) · Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5)

Day High Min. humidity Peak gust Rain Danger (FWI)
17 Jul 25.1 °C 23 % 34 km/h 0.0 mm High 24
18 Jul 27.1 °C 19 % 46 km/h 0.0 mm High 27
19 Jul 28.4 °C 15 % 45 km/h 0.0 mm High 31
20 Jul 26.0 °C 21 % 41 km/h 0.0 mm High 30
21 Jul 21.2 °C 23 % 48 km/h 0.6 mm High 24
22 Jul 18.9 °C 22 % 41 km/h 0.0 mm High 23
23 Jul 21.6 °C 23 % 45 km/h 0.0 mm High 26
24 Jul 26.1 °C 22 % 39 km/h 0.0 mm High 26
25 Jul 26.6 °C 17 % 48 km/h 0.2 mm High 32
26 Jul 27.4 °C 17 % 36 km/h 0.0 mm High 30
27 Jul 26.5 °C 20 % 28 km/h 0.0 mm High 29
28 Jul 28.4 °C 16 % 27 km/h 0.0 mm High 28
29 Jul 29.2 °C 16 % 20 km/h 0.0 mm High 31
30 Jul 31.6 °C 9 % 24 km/h 0.0 mm High 37
31 Jul 30.8 °C 19 % 28 km/h 0.0 mm High 37
1 Aug 25.6 °C 31 % 38 km/h 1.1 mm Moderate 19
2 Aug 23.5 °C 46 % 40 km/h 1.8 mm Low 8
3 Aug 27.4 °C 19 % 37 km/h 0.5 mm High 25
4 Aug 25.7 °C 26 % 19 km/h 0.1 mm High 24
5 Aug 27.5 °C 20 % 34 km/h 0.1 mm High 30
6 Aug 22.2 °C 31 % 58 km/h 0.0 mm High 34
7 Aug 17.5 °C 45 % 48 km/h 5.4 mm Very low 3
8 Aug 12.3 °C 84 % 34 km/h 14.3 mm Very low 0
9 Aug 20.2 °C 43 % 36 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
10 Aug 20.4 °C 45 % 62 km/h 0.0 mm Low 6
11 Aug 25.7 °C 25 % 63 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 19
12 Aug 26.1 °C 23 % 35 km/h 0.0 mm Moderate 20
13 Aug 27.7 °C 17 % 26 km/h 0.0 mm High 22
14 Aug 28.2 °C 18 % 44 km/h 0.0 mm High 28
15 Aug 27.6 °C 19 % 61 km/h 0.0 mm High 33
16 Aug 18.6 °C 37 % 48 km/h 9.0 mm Very low 1
17 Aug 9.7 °C 88 % 34 km/h 16.1 mm Very low 0
18 Aug 20.8 °C 28 % 27 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
19 Aug 19.0 °C 42 % 43 km/h 0.6 mm Very low 2
20 Aug 18.3 °C 40 % 19 km/h 0.9 mm Very low 2
21 Aug 16.7 °C 57 % 22 km/h 6.1 mm Very low 0
22 Aug 13.1 °C 54 % 52 km/h 8.8 mm Very low 0
23 Aug 11.2 °C 52 % 34 km/h 2.8 mm Very low 0
24 Aug 16.3 °C 36 % 17 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
25 Aug 19.7 °C 27 % 20 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
26 Aug 17.2 °C 40 % 34 km/h 3.7 mm Very low 1
27 Aug 13.4 °C 60 % 45 km/h 8.1 mm Very low 0
28 Aug 18.9 °C 38 % 24 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
29 Aug 22.2 °C 26 % 33 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 4
30 Aug 19.5 °C 33 % 35 km/h 3.3 mm Very low 1
31 Aug 8.5 °C 68 % 39 km/h 7.7 mm Very low 0
1 Sept 11.2 °C 57 % 31 km/h 0.6 mm Very low 0
2 Sept 14.7 °C 42 % 24 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
3 Sept 19.2 °C 28 % 17 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
4 Sept 19.4 °C 31 % 35 km/h 0.1 mm Low 6
5 Sept 17.4 °C 42 % 39 km/h 0.6 mm Low 6
6 Sept 18.3 °C 33 % 28 km/h 0.0 mm Low 7
7 Sept 23.3 °C 31 % 18 km/h 0.0 mm Low 8
8 Sept 18.1 °C 45 % 38 km/h 0.3 mm Low 9
9 Sept 21.1 °C 34 % 30 km/h 0.0 mm Low 9
10 Sept 18.6 °C 40 % 23 km/h 4.9 mm Very low 1
11 Sept 16.6 °C 54 % 27 km/h 1.2 mm Very low 1
12 Sept 13.9 °C 56 % 37 km/h 10.0 mm Very low 0
13 Sept 14.9 °C 39 % 35 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
14 Sept 14.4 °C 44 % 36 km/h 7.2 mm Very low 0
15 Sept 9.8 °C 44 % 42 km/h 2.1 mm Very low 0
16 Sept 10.0 °C 32 % 33 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
17 Sept 6.7 °C 49 % 45 km/h 1.2 mm Very low 1
18 Sept 9.6 °C 79 % 46 km/h 18.6 mm Very low 0
19 Sept 7.4 °C 85 % 29 km/h 9.8 mm Very low 0
20 Sept 11.8 °C 38 % 29 km/h 1.5 mm Very low 0
21 Sept 15.6 °C 41 % 37 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
22 Sept 13.2 °C 59 % 32 km/h 1.1 mm Very low 0
23 Sept 15.4 °C 37 % 28 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
24 Sept 18.1 °C 43 % 22 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
25 Sept 20.5 °C 35 % 33 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 5
26 Sept 17.9 °C 37 % 53 km/h 1.7 mm Very low 1
27 Sept 10.4 °C 71 % 48 km/h 15.2 mm Very low 0
28 Sept 8.3 °C 73 % 40 km/h 10.8 mm Very low 0
29 Sept 9.0 °C 49 % 46 km/h 1.0 mm Very low 0
30 Sept 7.9 °C 62 % 42 km/h 5.8 mm Very low 0
1 Oct 10.2 °C 42 % 20 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
2 Oct 11.2 °C 47 % 33 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
3 Oct 13.6 °C 38 % 40 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 1
4 Oct 13.8 °C 44 % 33 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 2
5 Oct 16.0 °C 28 % 52 km/h 0.6 mm Very low 5
6 Oct 5.9 °C 50 % 30 km/h 8.8 mm Very low 0
7 Oct 4.5 °C 66 % 28 km/h 3.1 mm Very low 0
8 Oct 6.0 °C 37 % 16 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
9 Oct 6.7 °C 52 % 35 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
10 Oct 4.9 °C 55 % 57 km/h 6.7 mm Very low 0
11 Oct 2.5 °C 57 % 28 km/h 0.1 mm Very low 0
12 Oct 4.2 °C 36 % 36 km/h 0.8 mm Very low 0
13 Oct 1.3 °C 71 % 24 km/h 2.2 mm Very low 0
14 Oct 3.0 °C 67 % 26 km/h 0.3 mm Very low 0
15 Oct 3.8 °C 79 % 34 km/h 6.7 mm Very low 0
16 Oct 11.0 °C 54 % 43 km/h 2.1 mm Very low 0
17 Oct 11.9 °C 44 % 32 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
18 Oct 9.2 °C 57 % 17 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
19 Oct 10.8 °C 49 % 33 km/h 0.0 mm Very low 0
20 Oct 5.5 °C 72 % 48 km/h 3.2 mm Very low 0

Before and after, from space

Drag the line to compare the same ground before the fire and after it.

Before · 10 Jul 2021
After · 27 Oct 2021

If the day is cloudy, change the date: each satellite passes once a day. In false colour the burnt ground looks brown or red.

Detections table · 1,476Every satellite heat detection, one by one, with time, satellite, power and coordinates.
⬇ Download CSV Times in UTC. Each detection is a 375 m pixel: a large fire yields hundreds per pass.
Date and timeSatelliteFRP (MW)LatLon

Other fires nearby

All fires in Canada ›

Frequently asked questions

How long did the North Okanagan E fire last?
According to the heat detections seen by satellite inside the perimeter, it burned from 17 July 2021 to 20 October 2021 (96 days). The perimeter dates it from 17 July 2021 to 19 October 2021.
How much area did it burn?
The official perimeter mapped by Canada’s CWFIS (Natural Resources Canada) is 3,658 hectares (36.6 km²). Other tallies, such as those of provincial agencies, may give slightly different figures.
Which census subdivisions burned?
The fire only entered North Okanagan E (3,622 ha, 1.4 %).
What was the weather like?
During the fire the temperature reached 31.6 °C, humidity dropped to 9 % and gusts hit 63 km/h. The fire danger index (FWI) reached 37, class High.
Where does this data come from?
From the official burnt perimeter of Canada’s CWFIS (NBAC, Natural Resources Canada) or, for the current season and until NBAC publishes it, the one rebuilt by GWIS (Copernicus); from NASA FIRMS VIIRS hotspots; and from the administrative boundaries of Canada. It is not an official report.

Where to verify it

A satellite detection is not an official report. Final figures and the fire’s status are published by each country’s emergency service.

Emergency number: 911 · Emergency number and official warnings ›

Satellite cross-check

History of this page Changes in area, dates, name, official record or merged pages, compared every night since 24 October 2026.

No changes since 24 October 2026.

RSS Changes to this page

Does something look wrong on this page?

This page is built from satellite data and official records, and it sometimes gets things wrong: the wrong dates, the wrong town, two fires merged into one, or something that was not a wildfire at all. If you know this fire first-hand (you live nearby, saw it, fought it or reported on it), tell us what really happened and we will check it.

Report an error
What do you think is wrong?

We will only use your email to reply about this report. Privacy. This is not an emergency service: if there is a fire now, call 911.

How we know this
  • Perimeter: NBAC (Natural Resources Canada), official.
  • Dates adjusted with the VIIRS detections inside the perimeter, which said 17 July 2021 to 19 October 2021. 1,476 Suomi-NPP VIIRS detections on those dates.
  • We have not matched this page with any official record.
  • Weather: Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis at the fire location, in cells of about 25 km.
  • Built-up area and population come from the JRC Global Human Settlement Layer (epoch 2020, 100 m cells), summed inside the perimeter: an estimate of what was there, not a damage count.

How we build fire pages: methodology ›

Where this data comes from

The perimeter is official: it comes from the National Burned Area Composite (NBAC) of the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System (CWFIS), Natural Resources Canada, which maps it on satellite imagery and publishes it under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Until NBAC publishes the current season, this year’s fires carry the perimeter rebuilt from heat detections by GWIS (Copernicus, CC BY 4.0), which is approximate. Heat detections come from the VIIRS sensors aboard Suomi-NPP and NOAA-20, distributed by NASA FIRMS at 375 m resolution. Census subdivision boundaries come from geoBoundaries ADM3 (Open Data Commons Open Database License 1.0). The area per census subdivision is computed by WorldFires by crossing the perimeter with those boundaries, so it may differ slightly from official figures.