What to know about the Bald Range fire and B.C.’s wildfire emergency

Premier David Eby described British Columbia's wildfire season as "brutal" following a deadly blaze that forced around 20,000 residents to evacuate their homes in the south Okanagan last weekend. A ferocious fire burned an area of approximately 191 square kilometres, up from 184 square kilometres the previous day, along the western shores of Okanagan Lake.

At least one person, an 80-year-old woman, died as a result of the incident. The BC Wildfire Service reported that thunderstorms were developing over the northwestern section of the blaze, with its behavior contingent upon the level of instability and winds accompanying the weather system. Chief Greg Gabriel of the Penticton Indian Band, who was among the evacuees, called for more action to mitigate blazes amid worsening drought and questioned the province about the need for an alternative escape route due to long vehicle lines.

Officials were still unable to provide details on the extent of structural losses as the fire remained active. The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen stated that damage assessments started Tuesday in areas north and south of Summerland. There was no set date for evacuees to return home. The Brunswick complex, comprising the Brunswick Creek and Ainslie Creek fires, spanned over 700 square kilometres in B.C.'s Fraser Canyon, with the Ainslie Creek fire advancing towards the Coquihalla Highway and Merritt.

Crews were working to extinguish hot spots around the perimeter of the Pear Lake fire, which had destroyed over 170 properties and scorched nearly 1,500 square kilometres since its detection on July 17 in the south Cariboo region. A series of evacuation orders and alerts covered parts of the south Cariboo. The wildfire service continued to manage rockfall hazards along Highway 1, particularly in the China Bar area, and crews aimed to contain the Pear Lake fire by utilizing infrared scanning at night.