A forest fire that got too close for comfort for Keremeos residents last week is now 100 per cent contained.

The fire, which was discovered Thursday, was sparked on Upper Bench Road north east of town and came to within 100 metres of Keremeos homes.

The blaze grew to 16.5 hectares before Kamloops Wildfire Centre crews could surround it, however it posed no imminent threat since it was burning away from structures, according to centre spokesperson Michaela Swan.

Crews were nevertheless working with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen to determine whether an evacuation alert for nearby residents would be required.

The fire was burning in grass and sage and showed aggressive behaviour, said Swan. A total of 27 firefighters, one bulldozer and a water truck responded.

Crews spent Friday and Saturday building a hand guard around the fire, reinforcing it by watering down hot spots.

No smoke was visible by Saturday afternoon and crews were on site throughout the evening Saturday to monitor for potential flare-ups. They spent Sunday patrolling the main body of the fire for any remaining heat.

The fire danger rating is still high in the south Okanagan. The public is asked to contact emergency personnel at *5555 on a cellphone or toll-free at 1-800-663-5555 to report a wildfire.