VANCOUVER — British Columbia declared a provincewide state of emergency as fast-moving wildfires forced more than 20,000 people from their homes and destroyed structures in communities along Okanagan Lake, officials said.
Premier David Eby announced the emergency on Saturday as more than 100 wildfires burned across the province, with nearly half classified as out of control amid hot, windy conditions and prolonged drought. The declaration gives provincial authorities additional powers, including restricting travel and securing accommodation for evacuees, Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene said.
The Bald Range wildfire, first reported Friday evening, grew rapidly to more than 100 square kilometres as it advanced toward communities around Okanagan Lake. Officials said the fire moved about 15 kilometres toward the lake within hours, forcing large-scale evacuations.
Summerland, with about 12,000 residents, was ordered evacuated, while roughly 8,000 people in and around Peachland were also ordered to leave. Eby's office confirmed significant structure loss but said the extent of the damage could not yet be assessed because the affected areas remained active fire zones.
"The speed of the fire forced even emergency officials to flee," Erick Thompson, an emergency official with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, said in a video posted while he was evacuating with his family.
British Columbia Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said 18 firefighting aircraft had rescued more than 50 people. Search-and-rescue crews continued looking for people who may have been trapped as the fire advanced, officials said.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they were investigating a possible wildfire death near Summerland, but hazardous conditions prevented authorities from confirming the fatality.
Cliff Chapman, director of operations for the British Columbia Wildfire Service, described the fire conditions as "explosive" and warned that other communities could face similarly rapid fire growth.
Highway 97, a major transportation route through the region, was closed between Peachland and Penticton as large numbers of evacuees left the area. Authorities also issued warnings about wildfire smoke, with provincial air-quality officials advising people to reduce exposure to high smoke levels.
British Columbia has faced increasingly destructive wildfire seasons in recent years, prompting repeated mass evacuations and widespread smoke pollution. The province's latest emergency declaration remains in effect as crews respond to fires across multiple regions and authorities assess damage in evacuated communities.
