Wildfire Forces Evacuation of 18,000 From Summerland, British Columbia

A wildfire that is burning “out of control” in British Columbia, Canada, prompted an evacuation order of more than 18,000 people in two communities on Saturday as the blaze rapidly spread, the authorities said. The Bald Range wildfire has scorched more than 23,000 acres as flames edged closer to the Districts of Summerland and Peachland. The fire knocked out power in Summerland, which is about 260 miles east of Vancouver, officials said. The district declared a state of emergency on Saturday. The District of Peachland, about 235 miles northeast of Vancouver, is known for its waterfront boardwalk along Okanagan Lake. Bottleneck Drive, a scenic network of rural roads connecting about 20 wineries, breweries and distilleries, is a well-known regional attraction in the District of Summerland. The fire started on Friday around 5:30 p.m. local time, officials said. The cause of the fire is unknown. Erick Thompson, a spokesman for the regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen’s Emergency Operations Center, said that anyone living in the District of Summerland, or other areas under the evacuation order, should leave their homes. He called it “the most important thing you can do” in a video posted online of him leaving his home. “Personal safety is the most important thing right now,” he said. “If this fire is near where you are, get what you need, make sure your family is safe, but you need to leave immediately.” Conditions were not ideal for fighting the fire, Lisa Corcoran, a spokeswoman with the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Center, told CBC in an interview on Saturday morning. “It is hot, it is dry, it is windy, and we haven’t had rain in a long time,” Ms. Corcoran said. “Everything is just very, very dry out there.”