New Delhi, August 9: Wildfires are rapidly spreading in Western Canada. The flames are advancing towards towns along the shores of Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, destroying homes and buildings. As a result, over 20,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate their homes overnight.
The entire community of Summerland, home to approximately 12,000 people, has been instructed to leave the area. Additionally, around 8,000 residents from Peachland and nearby regions have also received evacuation orders. Authorities have yet to assess the extent of damage to homes caused by the fire.
Reports of the Bald Range wildfire first emerged on Friday evening, but within hours, it had expanded to nearly 50 square kilometers (19 square miles). The small community of Folder is also affected, with the fire spreading approximately 15 kilometers (9 miles) towards Summerland.
Emergency officer Eric Thompson from the Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District described this as one of the fastest-growing wildfires in the area. Thompson had to leave the Emergency Operations Center to rescue his family. In a video posted from his vehicle on Saturday morning, he stated, “I had to leave the EOC to rescue my family from this area. We are heading south.”
Canada has faced increasingly dangerous wildfire conditions in recent years, leading to mass evacuations and recurring smoke across large parts of Canada and the United States.
Videos shared on social media show several homes engulfed in flames, while people flee from the raging fire on both sides.
Kerry Gold, a homeowner, and her husband, Mike Elsing, fled around 12:30 AM after witnessing flames spreading from nearby mountains. She remarked, “It’s terrifying. It’s spreading so fast.”
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