B.C.’s provincial health officer to hold news conference amid wildfire smoke warnings

The provincial health officer of British Columbia will be holding a news conference amid warnings of wildfire smoke. Summerland, B.C., was recently evacuated by a fast-moving wildfire about 10 days ago, but residents are now able to return home. Mayor Doug Holmes warns that the community faces a long road to recovery following the Bald Range fire, which damaged or destroyed 150 structures.

The small town of Faulder was almost completely wiped out, and one woman died during the evacuation. Most of the 12,000 residents have been cleared to return to their homes, with about 530 still under evacuation orders. Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene reported that approximately 2,100 properties remain under evacuation orders across B.C.