More than 21,000 people have had to leave their homes and move to safe locations. Another 9,700 people have been alerted regarding potential evacuation.
कनाडा: ब्रिटिश कोलंबिया में जंगल की आग हुई बेकाबू; इमरजेंसी घोषित, 21 हजार से ज्यादा लोग हुए बेघर
A province-wide state of emergency was declared in British Columbia, Canada, on Saturday amidst rapidly spreading wildfires. More than a hundred areas across the province have been affected by the fires.
Over 21,000 people have been forced to leave their homes and move to safety, while approximately 9,700 others remain on alert for potential evacuation.
The situation is most critical due to the Bald Range wildfire, which has spread rapidly to cover an area of approximately 9,500 hectares. Consequently, residents of Summerland, Peachland, and surrounding areas west of Okanagan Lake have been ordered to evacuate. In Summerland alone, around 12,000 residents were ordered to vacate their homes late Friday night.
According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)—Canada’s national public broadcaster—and other media reports, British Columbia Premier David Eby stated that homes and properties have sustained damage due to the fires. He noted that rapidly shifting fire conditions trapped some individuals in affected areas, necessitating rescue operations.
According to David Eby, the fire is so intense that it is generating its own weather system, leading to phenomena such as lightning strikes and increasing the risk of the fire intensifying further. He urged affected residents to comply immediately with evacuation orders. Officials from the British Columbia Wildfire Service (BCWS) have described the Bald Range fire as extremely challenging. Rescue and firefighting teams are working around the clock to bring the fire under control and evacuate affected individuals safely.
The declaration of a state of emergency grants the provincial government additional powers. These include the authority to restrict local travel if necessary, arrange temporary housing for displaced residents, and rapidly mobilize resources for relief and rescue operations.
Officials report that power supplies have been disrupted in the areas affected by the fires. Precautionary advisories regarding water have also been issued in Summerland. Residents have been advised to boil their water before use after the water supply system was affected by the fires.
Meanwhile, large numbers of people have evacuated towards Penticton and Kelowna to escape the fires. Many residents reported seeing flames and burning buildings along the highway during the evacuation. By Saturday afternoon, plumes of smoke had caused ash to settle on homes and vehicles in several areas.
In British Columbia, approximately 1,500 firefighting personnel are battling blazes at more than 100 locations. Dozens of evacuation orders and alerts have been issued across the province so far. The risk of wildfires has also increased in other Canadian provinces this year due to hot and dry weather conditions. International assistance is being received in the effort to bring the fires under control; firefighting teams from Mexico, Australia, France, and New Zealand have joined Canadian officials to assist in relief and firefighting operations. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has also pledged the federal government’s full support to British Columbia. He expressed his gratitude to the firefighting and emergency teams working to ensure the safety of those affected by the fires.
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