{
  "id": 347977,
  "title": "Canada wildfires force 20,000 to flee as British Columbia declares state of emergency",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/canada-wildfires-force-20-000-to-flee-as-british-columbia-declares",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-09T05:12:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Times of Israel",
    "slug": "the-times-of-israel",
    "url": "https://www.timesofisrael.com/canada-wildfires-force-20000-to-flee-as-british-columbia-declares-state-of-emergency/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "A state of emergency has been declared in British Columbia, Canada, due to a fast-moving wildfire that has forced over 20,000 people to flee their homes. The Bald Range fire, which started on Friday, has grown rapidly and now covers an area of over 9,500 hectares. According to MyJoyOnline Ghana, it occupies more than 36 sq miles across the Summerland and Okanagan-Similkameen districts.\n\nThe fire, described by British Columbia Premier David Eby as being like a \"bomb going off\", has destroyed homes and properties, with some people becoming trapped and needing to be rescued. The district of Summerland, with a population of around 12,000, was ordered to evacuate, and hundreds of residents living in care facilities were relocated to safer areas. The power also went out across the area.\n\nThe wildfire is one of many fires challenging emergency crews across British Columbia, with 105 currently burning, according to British Columbia Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar. According to DW News, 70 new wildfires have been reported over the past week. The province has seen 4 million hectares scorched by fires this year, with blazes flaring up in several regions, including Ontario and Quebec.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 10,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "British Columbia district declares state of emergency, issues evacuation orders as wildfire rages",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/british-columbia-district-declares-state-of-emergency-issues",
        "published": "2026-08-08T18:16:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "British Columbia district declares state of emergency, issues evacuation orders as wildfire rages",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/british-columbia-district-declares-state-of-emergency-issues-329575",
        "published": "2026-08-08T19:34:37.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "RTE News",
        "title": "State of emergency in British Columbia due to wildfires",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/state-of-emergency-in-british-columbia-due-to-wildfires",
        "published": "2026-08-08T20:34:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "PBS NewsHour",
        "title": "Wildfires force 20,000 to flee as British Columbia declares state of emergency",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/wildfires-force-20-000-to-flee-as-british-columbia-declares-state-of",
        "published": "2026-08-08T22:39:49.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Japan Times",
        "title": "British Columbia declares state of emergency as more than 20,000 flee wildfires",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/british-columbia-declares-state-of-emergency-as-more-than-20-000-flee",
        "published": "2026-08-09T01:04:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "‘Like a bomb going off’: British Columbia wildfire triggers mass evacuations",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/like-a-bomb-going-off-british-columbia-wildfire-triggers-mass",
        "published": "2026-08-09T01:59:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NDTV",
        "title": "British Columbia Declares State Of Emergency, 20,000 Evacuated Amid Wildfire",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/british-columbia-declares-state-of-emergency-20-000-evacuated-amid",
        "published": "2026-08-09T02:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "DW English (Top Stories)",
        "title": "Canada: British Columbia declares emergency as fires spread",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/canada-british-columbia-declares-emergency-as-fires-spread",
        "published": "2026-08-09T02:17:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Tempo.co English",
        "title": "Canada: British Columbia Declares Emergency as Fires Spread",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/canada-british-columbia-declares-emergency-as-fires-spread-340780",
        "published": "2026-08-09T03:10:36.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}