- The Bald Range fire now occupies more than 36 sq miles (95 sq km) across the Summerland and Okanagan-Similkameen districts of British Columbia, according to the BC Wildfire Service.
- 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 seen in the fire-prone region.
- An emergency official had to leave the emergency operations centre to evacuate his own family, saying, "I had to leave the EOC to come and get my family to leave this area. We're heading south."
- It was not yet clear how many structures had been destroyed, and residents struggled to evacuate horses, with some leaving gates open and painting markings on animals for later identification.
A fast-moving wildfire in British Columbia's Bald Range has rapidly expanded to over 36 square miles, forcing the evacuation of approximately 20,000 residents from Summerland and Peachland. The fire, which has doubled in size since its detection on Friday, is described by emergency official Erick Thompson as one of the "quickest-moving, largest fires in such a short time" he has witnessed in the region.2
As of Saturday morning, the fire remains out of control, with power outages reported across Summerland. Thompson, who serves with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, had to leave the Emergency Operations Centre to evacuate his own family, stating, "I had to leave the EOC to come and get my family to leave this area. We're heading south."34
The evacuation order affected the entire population of Summerland, estimated at around 12,000 people, and about 8,000 residents from Peachland. Local residents have faced challenges evacuating their animals, with some leaving gates open in hopes that their pets would find safety on their own. Others have resorted to painting markings on their animals for easier identification later, as the situation remains dire and uncertain regarding the extent of property damage.
The BC Wildfire Service continues to monitor the situation closely as the community grapples with the aftermath of this devastating fire.
“Erick Thompson, an emergency official with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, called it one of the 'quickest-moving, largest fires in such a short time' he had seen. Residents struggled to evacuate horses, with some leaving gates open and painting markings on animals for later identification.”
bbc.com
