Thousands told to evacuate in British Columbia's wine region as wildfire grows
By Paige Taylor White and Nivedita Balu
Wildfire Crisis Escalates in British Columbia's Wine Region
Rapid Spread of the Bald Range Wildfire
PENTICTON, British Columbia, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Thousands of residents in British Columbia's wine and orchard region were ordered to evacuate on Saturday as a fast-moving wildfire in western Canada nearly doubled in size overnight.
The Bald Range wildfire was burning out of control and grew to about 9,500 hectares (23,500 acres), prompting evacuation orders in Summerland, Peachland and other districts west of Okanagan Lake. The region produces most of B.C.'s wine and is Canada's second-largest wine-producing area.
Impact on Local Communities
Summerland, which declared a state of emergency, has a population of about 12,000 according to the 2021 census, and Peachland is home to about 6,500 residents.
Statements from Local Officials
"A lot of farms have been affected. We don't know how many structures have been lost. They're still busy fighting the fire," Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes said in a phone interview. "We have to brace ourselves for the worst."
Evacuation Experiences
Terry Fries of Summerland was watching a football game on Friday night when a neighbor advised him to get a bag ready as the fire grew. "At the time, it was still farther back, and you could see it behind the hills," he said. When B.C. authorities issued the evacuation order around midnight, he and his family drove north to Kelowna, a larger center.
Infrastructure and Safety Concerns
The District of Summerland, about 45 km (28 miles) from Kelowna, lost power on Saturday due to the wildfire and issued a boil water notice for residents. The municipality said untreated water had entered the system after it bypassed the water treatment plant due to the wildfire.
Wider Context: Wildfires Across Canada
Several Canadian provinces, including Ontario and Quebec, have battled blazes this year as hot, dry weather fueled wildfires in dense forest areas. Firefighters from Mexico, Australia, France and New Zealand have helped battle the fires.
In B.C., where hot and dry conditions have increased the risk of more fires spreading, about 1,500 firefighting personnel are deployed. The province has issued 38 evacuation orders and 49 alerts related to over 100 fires.
Fires have burned through 4 million hectares (9.9 million acres) in Canada this year, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Paige Taylor White in Penticton, British Columbia and Nivedita Balu in Toronto; Editing by Susan Fenton and Rod Nickel)
