Key facts
- Canada has put its military on standby to aid in combating wildfires in British Columbia.
- One woman has died, and approximately 20,000 people have been displaced by the fires.
- The Bald Range wildfire has caused significant destruction in Summerland and surrounding areas.
- The wildfire service reported the Bald Range fire had grown to about 156 square kilometers.
- About 10,000 homes remain under evacuation orders, with over 3,200 under alerts.
Canada has placed its military on standby to assist in battling severe wildfires in British Columbia, which have resulted in one fatality and forced approximately 20,000 people to flee their homes. The Bald Range wildfire, in particular, has caused extensive destruction in communities along Okanagan Lake, including Summerland and Peachland.
Mayor Doug Holmes of Summerland warned of significant devastation to his community, stating that it remained too dangerous to assess the full scope of damage. He indicated that residents should prepare for bad news regarding lost homes. The Bald Range wildfire, which raced toward Summerland and nearby areas over the weekend, remained out of control and had grown to about 156 square kilometers (60 square miles).
Defense Minister David McGuinty confirmed that the Canadian Armed Forces were in constant contact with provincial and federal officials and were prepared to deploy if formally requested. The federal government has already provided assistance with shelter and accommodations. An 80-year-old woman died while attempting to escape the fire near Summerland, a loss Prime Minister Mark Carney described as heartbreaking.
British Columbia Minister of Forests Ravi Parmer noted that despite the deployment of 19 helicopters to the Bald Range wildfire, its intensity made it impossible to halt. He suggested that even more resources would not have made a difference. Mayor Holmes cautioned that there was no timeline for residents to return due to downed power lines and the need to assess hazards at damaged or destroyed buildings. Residents are expected to return gradually, likely neighborhood by neighborhood.
Kyla Gaudiuso, a resident of the small community of Faulder, believes her home was destroyed and described the evacuation as chaotic. Canada has experienced increasingly destructive wildfire seasons in recent years, leading to mass evacuations and smoke plumes affecting large areas of Canada and the United States. Summerland, a farming community, is situated in a mountainous region prone to wildfires, and the current blaze reportedly started rapidly on Friday evening, quickly spreading into city limits.