THE LATEST:
The Penticton RCMP has confirmed the death of an 80-year-old woman who was fleeing the Bald Range wildfire near Summerland, B.C.
A witness reported the death to police early Saturday morning. The RCMP said the woman “died suddenly” while evacuating with family, and that her death is believed to be a result of the fire.
The B.C. Coroners Service is investigating the circumstances of the woman’s death, and police say there are no other known fatalities related to the fire.
B.C. wildfires: Thousands flee Summerland, RCMP confirms death of 80-year-old
Officials in Summerland have confirmed the loss of structures, although they have not yet provided a tally of the damage. However, Summerland’s chief administrative officer confirmed on Sunday that the municipality’s downtown had survived the fire.
He said there was no timeline to return, but that officials were planning for a phased re-entry when conditions are safe.
On Sunday night, the Okanagan Indian Band rescinded an evacuation alert and downgraded part of an evacuation order related to the Bradley Creek wildfire. The fire, which is believed to have destroyed more than 200 homes, was classified as “being held” to its perimeter on Saturday and B.C. Hydro has restored power to the area.
The Kelowna International Airport said normal flight traffic resumed around 2 p.m. on Sunday, after major disruptions due to wildfire smoke. The airport said 40 flights were cancelled on Saturday and 26 were cancelled on Sunday.
Virtually all of southern British Columbia east of the Fraser Canyon remains under Environment Canada air quality warnings. The majority of that area is covered by an “orange” alert warning of high smoke levels that can affect a person’s health regardless of age or health status and urging people to avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
There was little growth on the other major fires threatening communities across B.C. over the weekend.
Fingers of the 517-square-kilometre Ainslie Creek wildfire near Boston Bar continue to slowly creep to the north, toward Highway 8, and east toward the Coquihalla Highway.
The massive Pear Lake wildfire, which has destroyed structures on about 120 properties around Clinton, grew slightly to 1,468 square kilometres.
However, in a Sunday update, the B.C. Wildfire Service said it is expecting “a high potential for lightning-caused wildfire starts,” particularly in the central Interior and Okanagan regions, along with elevated wind gusts.
While wildfires are a natural part of B.C.’s forest ecology, experts say climate change from burning fossil fuels has increased both their frequency and their severity.
