British Columbia declares state of emergency as more than 20,000 flee wildfires

British Columbia has declared a state of emergency after a fast-moving wildfire nearly double in size overnight, forcing thousands to evacuate. The Bald Range wildfire, located in the province's southern interior, has grown to approximately 9,500 hectares (23,500 acres). Premier David Eby described the fire as "a bomb going off," noting its ability to create its own weather system and lightning, which fuels the blaze.

Summerland and Peachland, two wine-producing districts west of Okanagan Lake, issued evacuation orders. More than 20,000 people across British Columbia have been displaced, with Summerland's population being about 12,000 and Peachland's around 6,500. The province has deployed 1,500 firefighters to combat over 100 fires, with 4 million hectares (9.9 million acres) burned this year.