Canada: British Columbia declares emergency as fires spread

British Columbia has declared a state of emergency, with over 20,000 residents ordered to flee a rapidly spreading wildfire. The intensity of the blaze was likened by a fire official to "a bomb going off," according to Premier David Eby.

Eby described the fire's ferocity, noting a fire official's account of flames reaching 200 feet above a 100-foot tree and the fire generating its own weather system, which included lightning. "Homes have been lost, and properties have been destroyed. Some people became trapped as conditions changed very quickly, and needed to be rescued," he added.

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He described flames on a 100-foot (30-meter) tree, flames going 200 feet above that, and the fire creating its own weather system, which creates lightning.

The fire, which began Friday evening, expanded dramatically, leading to widespread evacuation orders. By Saturday, it had consumed approximately 9,500 hectares (23,500 acres), prompting the evacuation of all 12,000 residents in the Summerland district. This fire is one of many challenging emergency crews across the province.

British Columbia has reported 70 new wildfires in the past week, with 105 currently active. Nationally, fires have scorched 4 million hectares in Canada in 2026. Hot, dry conditions have fueled fires in dense forest areas, particularly in Ontario and Quebec, contributing to increasingly destructive wildfire seasons in recent years.

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Homes have been lost, and properties have been destroyed. Some people became trapped as conditions changed very quickly, and needed to be rescued.