BC Wildfires Trigger State of Emergency as 20,000 Flee Okanagan Region
A rapid spread of wildfires across British Columbia forced more than 20,000 residents in the Okanagan region to evacuate as the province declared a state of emergency; officials warned that conditions were explosive, dozens of homes were lost or at risk, and search-and-rescue teams helped evacuate people while dozens of fires burned, including the Bald Range blaze near Summerland. A possible wildfire death was under investigation, and highways were closed as authorities warned of further evacuations and disruption.