Canada wildfires force thousands to evacuate

Canada's westernmost province of British Columbia declared a state of emergency on Saturday after the Bald Range wildfire rapidly expanded, forcing thousands of people to evacuate from their homes.

Canada’s Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience Eleanor Olszewski said the federal government had approved British Columbia’s request for assistance.

“I have tasked federal officials, led by the Government Operations Centre at Public Safety Canada, to work with the province to ensure support reaches those who need it most,” Olszewski said.

The Bald Range wildfire had grown to more than 100 square kilometres by Saturday night and remained out of control, according to provincial authorities.

Officials said the fire has prompted the evacuation of around 18,000 people, while more than 20,000 people across British Columbia have been forced to leave their homes during the current wildfire season.

Rapidly spreading fire

The wildfire grew rapidly amid hot and dry conditions, with British Columbia's Premier David Eby describing the situation as highly dynamic and threatening.

Eby said a fire official had compared the blaze to “a bomb going off,” describing flames reaching hundreds of feet into the air and the fire generating its own weather system, including lightning.

“Homes have been lost, and properties have been destroyed,” Eby said, adding that some residents had become trapped as conditions changed rapidly and had to be rescued.

The affected communities include Summerland, which has a population of around 12,000, and Peachland, home to approximately 6,500 people.

Firefighting efforts continue

British Columbia’s Wildfire Service said fires continued to spread across southern parts of the province over the past 24 hours due to hot and dry weather.

Poor visibility, thick smoke and turbulence have complicated aerial firefighting efforts. 10 helicopters and a night-vision helicopter were operating, although crews faced difficult conditions.

International firefighters are also assisting the response. British Columbia has received support in the form of personnel from Australia, New Zealand and Mexico, with additional international resources expected in the coming days.

Around 1,500 firefighting personnel are currently battling more than 100 fires across the province, which has issued 40 evacuation orders and 49 evacuation alerts.

Residents flee as conditions worsen

Many residents evacuated overnight, travelling south to Penticton or north towards Kelowna before some highways were closed.

Summerland also lost power and issued a boil-water notice after untreated water entered the municipal system when the wildfire forced water to bypass the treatment plant.

The region around Okanagan Lake is home to much of British Columbia’s wine industry and is Canada’s second-largest wine-producing area. Local officials said farms have been affected, while the full extent of structural damage remains unclear.

Wildfires have burned through approximately 4 million hectares across Canada this year, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

Read more

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