‘Explosive’ Summerland wildfire creating conditions ‘never seen before’
The BC Wildfire Service says it is one of the most challenging fires this province has ever faced, involving helicopter rescues of dozens of people trapped behind the fire line.
The Bald Range fire near Summerland has grown to cover over 100 square kilometres, marking one of the most challenging incidents the province has ever encountered. The BC Wildfire Service's Cliff Chapman emphasized that the current conditions in B.C., particularly in the southern third, are unprecedented and described as "explosive."
On Friday night, helicopter rescues were carried out for at least 55 individuals trapped by the rapidly advancing wildfire. As of Saturday, thousands of properties, including the entire Summerland district and parts of Peachland, were under an evacuation order, with many more under alert. B.C. Premier David Eby declared a provincial State of Emergency, acknowledging that homes have been lost, properties destroyed, and some people became trapped due to the rapidly changing conditions.
The mayor of Summerland, Doug Holmes, reported that the Garnet Valley, Prairie Valley, and Faulder areas were severely affected, but the downtown core remained unaffected. However, the fire is still in close proximity to the city. The extent of homes lost or properties destroyed is yet to be determined.
Written by urgent.news from Global News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
