Fast-moving Canada wildfire doubles in size forcing thousands to flee homes

A wildfire burning in western Canada rapidly expanded, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate their homes. The Bald Range fire, located in a remote area of British Columbia, more than doubled in size since its detection on Friday, covering over 36 square miles. Erick Thompson, an emergency official with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, described it as one of the "quickest-moving, largest fires in such a short time" he had encountered in the region.

The fire remained uncontrolled as of Saturday morning, with a plume of smoke visible over a residential street in Summerland, a town with a population of around 12,000 that was ordered to evacuate. Power outages were reported across the area, and hundreds of residents living in care facilities, including seniors, were being relocated to safer locations.

BC Premier David Eby praised the efforts of first responders, wildfire crews, police officers, and local communities in keeping people safe and battling the fire. The extent of property destruction was yet to be determined, and evacuation orders were issued for nearby districts, such as Okanagan, Peachland, and Okanagan-Similkameen.

On Friday, Thompson had been providing updates on the rapidly-spreading fire from the Okanagan-Similkameen emergency operations centre. Later, he had to leave the centre to ensure his family's safety as he evacuated the area. Many residents in Okanagan struggled to evacuate their horses, with some leaving their gates open to allow the animals to find their way to safety.