Wildfires burning in British Columbia force 20,000 to evacuate

A state of emergency was declared Saturday as more than 100 wildfires burned across the province, nearly half of them out of control.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — British Columbia declared a state of emergency Saturday after a fast-moving wildfire destroyed homes and forced more than 20,000 people to flee communities along Okanagan Lake in western Canada, with dozens rescued by aircraft.

Premier David Eby announced the emergency as more than 100 wildfires burned across the province, nearly half of them out of control in hot, windy weather and prolonged drought. Thousands fled on jammed roads as officials warned that “explosive” conditions could threaten more communities.

Summerland, home to about 12,000 people, was ordered evacuated, along with about 8,000 people in and around nearby Peachland. Eby’s office confirmed “significant structure loss” but said officials could not yet assess the damage because the area remained an active fire zone.

The speed of the fire forced even emergency officials to flee. Erick Thompson, an emergency official with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, said he had to abandon the emergency operations center and evacuate his family.

“I had to leave the EOC to come and get my family to leave this area. We’re heading south,” he said in a video posted early Saturday from his vehicle as traffic backed up around him.