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Pentagon said to ask US arms firms to speed up output as Iran war exhausts supply
🇵🇸 Palestine /Disasters & Emergencies

Pentagon said to ask US arms firms to speed up output as Iran war exhausts supply

From Times of Israel · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

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  • British Columbia has declared a state of emergency due to a rapidly growing wildfire that has forced over 20,000 people to evacuate.
  • The Bald Range wildfire has expanded to approximately 9,500 hectares, destroying homes and properties.
  • Fire officials described the blaze as intense, creating its own weather system and trapping residents who required rescue.

British Columbia has declared a state of emergency as a fast-moving wildfire, the Bald Range wildfire, has nearly doubled in size overnight, forcing over 20,000 residents to evacuate. The blaze is burning out of control and has expanded to about 9,500 hectares (23,500 acres) in the province's southern interior, a region known for its wine production.

a bomb going off.

— Fire officialDescribing the intensity of the Bald Range wildfire to Premier David Eby.

Premier David Eby described the fire's intensity, relaying a fire official's comparison of the blaze to "a bomb going off." Flames were seen reaching 100 feet up trees and 200 feet above them, with the fire generating its own weather system, including lightning that further fueled its spread. "Homes have been lost, and properties have been destroyed. Some people became trapped as conditions changed very quickly, and needed to be rescued," Eby stated, emphasizing the dynamic and threatening nature of the situation.

He described flames on 100-foot tree, flames going 200 feet above that, and the fire creating its own weather system, which creates lightning, which then feeds on itself.

— David EbyPremier of British Columbia, relaying a fire official's description of the wildfire's extreme behavior.

The state of emergency grants the provincial government special powers, including travel restrictions and measures to prevent price gouging, alongside tools to coordinate rescue efforts. This wildfire has triggered the largest evacuation event of the summer so far in British Columbia. Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes reported that many farms have been affected and the number of lost structures is still unknown as firefighters continue their efforts.

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

— David EbyPremier of British Columbia, describing the impact of the wildfire on residents.

Meanwhile, a separate fire is raging in an underground parking lot at a construction site in Petah Tikva, Israel. Firefighters have been working to control the blaze, located within the BIG shopping center complex, and authorities have asked the public to stay away from the area. The Times of Israel is liveblogging events as they unfold.

A lot of farms have been affected. We don’t know how many structures have been lost. They’re still busy fighting the fire.

— Doug HolmesMayor of Summerland, British Columbia, discussing the impact of the wildfire on his community.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Times of Israel. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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