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Bald Range fire triggers evacuations
A fast-moving wildfire known as the Bald Range fire forced more than 20,000 people to flee communities along Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, with British Columbia declaring a state of emergency Saturday after the blaze nearly doubled in size overnight.
“forced about 22,000 people to flee their homes”
The fire was first reported Friday around 5:30 p.m. local time and, by Saturday afternoon, had doubled to 103 square kilometres across Summerland, Peachland and other areas, according to the BC Wildfire Service.
Summerland, home to about 12,000 people, was ordered evacuated overnight, along with about 8,000 people in and around Peachland, while about 10,000 others were told to prepare to evacuate at a moment’s notice.
British Columbia Premier David Eby said the fire was “like a bomb going off,” and he warned that “Homes have been lost, and properties have been destroyed.”
The CBC reported that thousands of evacuees from Summerland and Peachland headed to nearby Penticton as officials said homes have been lost but it was unclear how many.
Officials urge brace; RCMP probe
Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes told Reuters, “We have to brace ourselves for the worst,” as the wildfire spread rapidly across Summerland and Peachland.
Premier David Eby said at a news conference on Saturday that one fire official had likened the fire to “a bomb going off,” and he added that some people became trapped as conditions changed very quickly and needed to be rescued.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they were investigating a possible death near Summerland, while the BC Coroners Service confirmed it received a report of a death and that an investigation was under way.
Eby’s office confirmed “significant structure loss” but said officials could not yet assess the damage because the area remained an active fire zone.
In Penticton, Summerland resident Anette Boulet said the approaching fire “looked like doomsday,” as she fled before dawn with her family and five dogs.
Federal help and tourism disruption
Canada’s federal government said it would provide urgent assistance to British Columbia, with Eleanor Olszewski saying, “I approved a request for Federal Assistance from British Columbia to provide shelter and accommodations for people who have been forced to leave their homes.”
““Last night, I approved a request for Federal Assistance from British Columbia to provide shelter and accommodations”
Reuters reported that the Bald Range wildfire had spread to more than 10,300 hectares by Saturday night as firefighters continued to battle the blaze, while the province said ten helicopters and a night-vision helicopter were operating but were hindered by thick smoke, turbulence and large fires.
The evacuation surge also intersected with tourism in Penticton, where the CKPG Today update said the city was saturated with tourists on Peach Fest weekend and that staff mobilized to move the emergency operations facility to the Penticton Convention Centre to accommodate the high volume of people coming through.
The CKPG Today update also said the B.C. government confirmed report of “significant structural loss” and that officials did not have specific numbers of homes lost because the fire behaviour remained aggressive.
As the province prepared for more escalation, the CKPG Today update quoted Cliff Chapman warning that fire conditions in the southern part of the province are explosive and that there may be more wildfires similar to the one that forced the evacuation of Summerland.
