Thousands of people were forced to flee their homes as a fast‑moving wildfire in a remote part of western Canada spread rapidly, doubling in size since Friday.
The Bald Range fire now swallows more than 36 square miles across the Summerland and Okanagan‑Similkameen districts of British Columbia, according to the BC Wildfire Service.
Emergency official Erick Thompson said this was one of “the quickest‑moving, largest fires in such a short time” he has seen in the fire‑prone region. The blaze remains "out of control" as of Saturday morning.
When the fire approached, the entire population of around 12,000 people in Summerland was ordered to evacuate, along with about 8,000 residents of neighbouring Peachland. Even the local power grid went out early Saturday.
In an early Saturday video, Thompson revealed he had left the emergency control centre to help his family flee the area. "I had to leave the EOC to come and get my family to leave this area. We're heading south," he told reporters.
The impact on houses and trees is still unclear, though many farmers struggled to move horses. With gates left open and some owners marking their animals, locals hoped the animals could find safety or be reunited later.
