Key facts
- An 80-year-old woman has died in the Bald Range wildfire in British Columbia.
- The Bald Range wildfire nearly doubled in size over the weekend.
- The blaze has forced the evacuation of 22,000 people in British Columbia.
- Canada's federal government is deploying urgent aid to the province.
- The BC Wildfire Service anticipates new fires due to lightning and expects high temperatures and winds to exacerbate existing ones.
An 80-year-old woman has died in British Columbia, marking the first reported fatality from the Bald Range wildfire, which has nearly doubled in size over the weekend. The fast-moving blaze has forced approximately 22,000 people to evacuate their homes, triggering the largest evacuation event in the province this summer. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are investigating the death, believing it to be wildfire-related. Hot and dry conditions have contributed to an intense wildfire season across Canada, with over 4,600 fires burning 4 million hectares of land. The BC Wildfire Service anticipates further fires due to lightning and expects high temperatures and winds to persist in affected regions.