- British Columbia declared a state of emergency
- More than 20,000 people were evacuated
- The Bald Range fire grew rapidly overnight
British Columbia has declared a state of emergency after a rapidly spreading wildfire forced more than 20,000 people to evacuate their homes across the Canadian province.
The Bald Range wildfire, burning near Okanagan Lake in the southern interior, expanded dramatically overnight and had covered about 9,500 hectares by Saturday, Eko Hot Blog gathered.
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Authorities issued evacuation orders for residents in Summerland, Peachland and surrounding communities as firefighters struggled to contain the blaze.
British Columbia Premier David Eby described the situation as extremely dangerous, saying the fire had intensified so quickly that an official compared it to “a bomb going off.”
Eby said the flames had reached about 100 feet high, with fire rising even further above the trees and generating its own weather conditions. He added that the resulting lightning was helping to intensify the blaze.
“Homes have been lost, and properties have been destroyed,” Eby said, noting that some residents became trapped as conditions deteriorated and had to be rescued.
The declaration of a state of emergency gives the provincial government additional powers to impose travel restrictions, protect essential supplies from price increases and coordinate emergency response operations.
The evacuation has become the largest recorded in British Columbia so far this summer, with more than 20,000 residents displaced by the various wildfires burning across the province.
Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes said farms had been affected and that officials were still assessing the extent of the destruction.
Many residents fled during the night after receiving evacuation orders. Some travelled south to Penticton, while others headed north toward Kelowna before sections of major highways were closed.
Terry Fries, a Summerland resident, said he was watching a football match when a neighbour advised him to prepare to leave as the flames advanced. After the evacuation order was issued around midnight, Fries and his family drove about 45 kilometres to Kelowna.
Videos shared by residents showed flames near roads and buildings burning as people escaped the affected areas. By Saturday afternoon, ash had covered vehicles and homes in some nearby communities, while the sky turned orange from the fire.
Summerland also experienced a power outage and issued a boil-water advisory after untreated water entered the distribution system when the wildfire caused the normal treatment process to be bypassed.
The wildfire crisis comes as several Canadian provinces face intense fire activity amid hot and dry weather. International firefighters from countries including Mexico, Australia, France and New Zealand have joined Canadian crews in battling the blazes.
About 1,500 firefighters were working to contain more than 100 active fires in British Columbia, while the province had issued 40 evacuation orders and 49 evacuation alerts.
Across Canada, wildfires have already burned roughly four million hectares this year, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
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