State of Emergency Declared in Summerland, British Columbia Due to Wildfire

The district of Summerland in British Columbia declared a state of emergency early Saturday as a fast-moving wildfire prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents.

The Bald Range wildfire, which has expanded to approximately 5,000 hectares, originated about 15 kilometers west of Summerland. The fire has led to evacuation orders in surrounding districts and has caused power outages in Summerland, which has a population of around 12,000.

In response to the wildfire threat, the district issued a boil water notice due to untreated water entering the system after the water treatment plant was bypassed. Across Canada, wildfires have been exacerbated by hot, dry weather, with assistance from international firefighting teams being deployed. In British Columbia alone, about 1,500 firefighting personnel are currently active, with 39 evacuation orders and 49 alerts issued province-wide.