British Columbia declared a state of emergency Saturday as a fast-moving wildfire destroyed homes and forced more than 20,000 people to flee communities along Okanagan Lake in western Canada. Dozens of residents were rescued by aircraft.
Premier David Eby announced the emergency as more than 100 wildfires burned across the province, with nearly half of them out of control amid hot, windy weather and prolonged drought. Thousands evacuated on jammed roads as officials warned that "explosive" conditions could threaten more communities.
Summerland, a community of about 12,000 people, was ordered evacuated overnight, along with approximately 8,000 residents in and around nearby Peachland. Eby's office confirmed "significant structure loss," but officials could not yet assess the full damage as the area remained an active fire zone.
The rapid spread of the fire led even emergency officials to evacuate. Erick Thompson, an emergency official with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, stated he had to leave the emergency operations center to evacuate his family, posting a video from his vehicle as traffic backed up.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are investigating a potential wildfire fatality near Summerland, but hazardous conditions have prevented authorities from confirming the death.
Some residents were trapped by the advancing fire, Eby said, while search-and-rescue crews continued to look for others who might have been caught. British Columbia Forests Minister Ravi Parmar reported that 18 firefighting aircraft rescued over 50 people.
The Bald Range wildfire, first reported Friday evening, grew to more than 100 square kilometers (39 square miles) and raced approximately 15 kilometers (9 miles) toward Okanagan Lake within hours. A perimeter map from the British Columbia Wildfire Service indicated the fire had burned through areas with numerous homes north of Summerland and reached Okanagan Lake.
Eby described the fire's sudden growth as a "remarkable escalation in fire activity," noting that the blaze became so intense it generated its own weather system and lightning. Cliff Chapman, the British Columbia Wildfire Service's director of operations, characterized conditions as "explosive" and cautioned that other communities could face similarly fast-moving fires.
British Columbia Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene stated that the state of emergency grants the province additional powers, including the ability to restrict travel and secure accommodations for evacuees.
Highway 97, a major regional route, was closed between Peachland and Penticton, with roads filled with evacuees.
Canada has experienced increasingly destructive wildfire seasons in recent years, leading to mass evacuations and widespread smoke across parts of Canada and the United States. At an evacuation center in Penticton, Summerland resident Anette Boulet described the approaching fire as looking like "doomsday" as she fled with her family and pets, uncertain of her home's status.