Flames race across British Columbia, forcing 20,000 to flee as wildfires rage

A fast-moving wildfire tore through British Columbia on Saturday, forcing more than 20,000 people from their homes as fierce flames devoured large swathes of land and destroyed homes, prompting the provincial government to declare a state of emergency.

The Bald Range wildfire, which erupted on Friday evening, exploded across roughly 9,500 hectares (23,500 acres), sending walls of fire towards communities west of Okanagan Lake. Evacuation orders swept through Summerland, Peachland and surrounding areas as hot, dry and gusty conditions fuelled the inferno.

The entire community of Summerland, home to around 12,000 people, was ordered to evacuate overnight, while another 8,000 residents in and around nearby Peachland were told to leave. Authorities have yet to establish the full extent of the damage or determine how many homes have been lost.

British Columbia Premier David Eby declared a state of emergency early Saturday as more than 100 wildfires burned across the province, nearly half of them classified as out of control.

“People have lost their homes. And many people have been displaced. Others are waiting for news about loved ones,” Eby said, as rescue crews searched areas left behind the advancing fire lines.

The Bald Range blaze moved with startling speed. After first being reported near Faulder on Friday evening, the fire raced approximately 15km (9 miles) towards Summerland, overwhelming the small community in its path.

Cliff Chapman, director of wildfire operations for the BC Wildfire Service, described conditions across the province as “explosive”, warning that other communities could face similarly rapid and unpredictable fires.

Firefighting helicopters were diverted from battling the flames to rescue residents who found their escape routes cut off by the advancing blaze, Chapman said.

The devastation cast a pall over the region. Amelia Boultbee, a member of the Legislative Assembly representing Penticton-Summerland, said firefighters, first responders, evacuees and volunteers were facing an extraordinarily difficult night.

Emergency management minister Kelly Greene said the state of emergency would give the provincial government sweeping additional powers, including restricting travel and arranging accommodation for displaced residents.

Evacuation orders also spread to the Peachland watershed, Brenda Mines, Lower Princeton and its downtown core, according to Emergency Info BC.

The crisis comes during another punishing wildfire season for Canada, with massive blazes sweeping across several provinces and choking communities with smoke. British Columbia has itself endured increasingly destructive fire seasons in recent years, with drought, extreme heat and tinder-dry vegetation creating a volatile landscape for flames to spread.

Scientists have repeatedly warned that climate change is intensifying the conditions that allow wildfires to ignite and spread, with prolonged heat and drought drying vegetation and turning forests and grasslands into highly combustible fuel.

A record-setting heat dome across Canada and the United States in recent months has further aggravated wildfire conditions. To the south, large fires in Washington state have also contributed to deteriorating air quality across the region.

With the crisis escalating, international firefighting support has poured into Canada. Teams from Mexico, Australia, France and New Zealand have joined the effort, while around 1,500 firefighters are currently deployed across British Columbia.

The province has issued 39 evacuation orders and 49 evacuation alerts, underscoring the breadth of the emergency.

As flames continue to advance, Eby urged residents to remain vigilant and heed evacuation instructions without delay.

“If asked to evacuate, go immediately. The conditions are changing extremely quickly,” he warned.

With agency inputs