British Columbia has declared a state of emergency as a fast-moving wildfire surged in the province’s southern interior, forcing thousands of residents to leave their homes after the blaze nearly doubled in size overnight.
The Bald Range wildfire, still burning out of control, ballooned to about 9,500 hectares and triggered evacuation orders for Summerland, Peachland and other communities west of Okanagan Lake.
The threatened area sits in a key agricultural corridor: the region produces most of the territory’s wine and is Canada’s second-largest wine-producing area.
Premier David Eby, speaking at a news conference, said a fire official compared the explosive conditions to “a bomb going off”.
“He described flames on a 100-foot tree, flames going 200 feet above that, and the fire creating its own weather system, which creates lightning, which then feeds on itself,” Mr Eby said.
The premier said the fire has already taken a toll on people and property. “Homes have been lost, and properties have been destroyed. Some people became trapped as conditions changed very quickly, and needed to be rescued,” he said, warning the situation remained highly dynamic and dangerous.
Summerland has a population of about 12,000 people, according to the 2021 census, and Peachland is home to about 6,500 residents.
By declaring a state of emergency, the province gains immediate access to special powers, including the ability to impose travel restrictions, protect supplies to prevent price gouging and use specific tools to coordinate rescue operations.
Officials said the Bald Range wildfire has led to the largest evacuation event so far this summer, and that more than 20,000 people across British Columbia have been forced to evacuate.
“A lot of farms have been affected. We don’t know how many structures have been lost. They’re still busy fighting the fire,” Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes said in a phone interview.
“We have to brace ourselves for the worst.”
Overnight evacuation
Evacuations intensified overnight as many residents drove south to Penticton or north to Kelowna, trying to get out ahead of highway closures.
As they fled, some residents captured videos showing flames along the highway and structures burning.
By yesterday afternoon, nearby communities began to see ash settling on cars and houses, while the wildfire turned the sky a vivid orange.
Summerland also lost power and issued a boil-water notice.
The municipality said untreated water entered the system after it bypassed the water treatment plant because of the wildfire.
Wildfires have flared across several Canadian provinces this year, including Ontario and Quebec, as hot, dry conditions fueled blazes in dense forested areas.
International crews have also been deployed, with firefighters from Mexico, Australia, France and New Zealand assisting in the response.
In British Columbia, where heat and dry weather have heightened the risk of additional fires spreading, about 1,500 firefighting personnel were battling more than 100 fires.
Across the province, officials have issued 40 evacuation orders and 49 alerts.
Fires have burned through 4 million hectares in Canada this year, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
