Wildfire that sparked Penticton-area evacuations now unlikely to spread, officials say

The B.C. Wildfire Service says a fire smouldering south of Penticton, B.C., is unlikely to spread.

The service reclassified the fire, which has scorched more than 20 square kilometres on the east side of Skaha Lake, as "held" on Tuesday.

The service uses four stages of classification for blazes: out of control, held, under control and out.

A fire is held when the service believes that with the resources committed to the fire, enough action has been taken that the fire is not likely to spread under prevailing or forecasted conditions.

Residents forced to flee the fire have all been allowed to return home.

Evacuation alerts covering more than 3,700 other properties have also been lifted.