The entire municipality of Summerland has been ordered to evacuate as the Bald Range Wildfire continues to grow.
The District of Summerland declared a state of emergency on August 8, stating the wildfire poses a risk to life and safety.
The fire started about 15 kilometres northwest of Summerland, which is on the southwest end of Okanagan Lake, around 250 kilometres east of Vancouver.
The Bald Range fire grew to 50 square kilometres in three hours after it was first detected at 5:30 p.m. PT on Friday, said Erick Thompson with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen’s emergency operations centre.
Evacuation orders have been issued by the Regional District of Central Okanagan, the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and the District of Summerland.
In a video briefing, Thompson said the fire poses an immediate threat to those in the evacuation zone, which now encompasses all of Summerland.
He said at least 55 people have been rescued by air support.
Thompson said the fire is showing aggressive Rank 5 behaviour, meaning that it has a fast-moving flame front with “long-range spotting” that can ignite new fires.
He added it was one of the “quickest-moving, fastest-growing” wildfires the area had seen.
The regional district spokesperson said people should prepare for Highway 97 to be closed.
The B.C. Wildfire Service said that winds were carrying embers up to a kilometre ahead of the main body of the fire.
In an interview with CBC News, Ashley Jestin said her house burned in the fire. Her home was located at the corner of Fish Lake Road and Princeton Summerland Road.
She said when her husband came home from work at about 4:30 p.m., he saw flames and smoke on the hill by their home, and they began getting packed.
“By the time we got out, we had embers on the seats of our car,” Jestin said.
Jestin said they had only minutes to leave before their home was surrounded by flames, and they left before she heard any evacuation alerts or orders had been issued.
Taylor Colman, a fire information officer with the B.C. Wildfire Service, said the fire is spreading up slope, and its growth was accelerating on Friday evening.
“The conditions on site are extremely dry and the forest fuels are very receptive to ignition and there’s wind coming out of the south and southwest — which is driving the fire to the north and northeast,” said Colman.
Evacuation orders near Summerland: What you need to know about B.C. wildfires on Aug. 7
The B.C. Wildfire Service has deployed air tankers, helicopters and ground personnel. Tactical evacuations were initiated as the fire moved towards structures, said Colman.
According to the 2021 census, Summerland’s population is over 12,000.
The Bald Range wildfire is just one of 104 active blazes in the province, and officials say an investigation into its cause remains ongoing.
