British Columbia wildfire triggers mass evacuations, first death confirmed

An 80-year-old woman died while trying to leave her home in Meadow Valley as British Columbia’s Bald Range fire forced about 20,000 people to evacuate. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed the death on Aug. 10, making her the first confirmed fatality linked to the wildfire, while weather conditions were not expected to bring much relief Monday.

The fire started Friday, Aug. 7, near Summerland in British Columbia’s south Okanagan region and quickly spread through the Summerland and Okanagan-Similkameen districts. By Aug. 8, it had already forced evacuations in Summerland and Peachland after hot, dry and windy weather helped drive a blaze that was fast-moving and out of control. The BC Wildfire Service put the fire at more than 36 square miles, or 95 square kilometers, and it nearly doubled in size overnight.

British Columbia declared a provincewide state of emergency on Aug. 9 as the evacuations widened and the province sought federal assistance. Fire crews and local authorities were dealing with more than 100 wildfires at the same time. Evacuees from Summerland and Peachland were sent to nearby Penticton as emergency responders worked through road closures, alerts and shelter arrangements.

In Faulder, parts of the community were left with homes reduced to foundations and vehicles burned to shells. Police first learned of the Bald Range fire shortly after 5 p.m. Friday.