British Columbia Wildfire Grows Overnight, Thousands More Told to Evacuate

A deadly wildfire in western Canada continued to expand overnight, even in the absence of strong winds, complicating efforts to contain it and assess the damage, authorities said Tuesday. The blaze, which has already forced roughly 20,000 people from their homes, is burning near Okanagan Lake and has destroyed homes and other properties in the region.

The fire has claimed the life of an 80-year-old woman and is advancing toward Summerland, a community of about 12,000 people located roughly 300 kilometers east of Vancouver. Cliff Chapman, director of provincial operations for the British Columbia Wildfire Service, noted that the fire showed "quite significant growth" in some areas overnight despite the lack of wind. Crews are working around the clock to establish control lines and make conditions safe for evacuated residents to return.

To bolster the response, 100 firefighters from Mexico have joined the effort, bringing the total number of personnel battling the blaze to 193. Meanwhile, provincial officials have secured 1,600 hotel rooms and 1,000 group-lodging spaces for evacuees in the Okanagan region, following reports of delays in emergency assistance during the weekend evacuation. The province has also requested federal help to expand lodging capacity.

Beyond those already displaced, an additional 10,000 people have been told to prepare for possible evacuation on short notice. More than 100 wildfires are currently burning across the province, and officials have warned that dry lightning could spark new fires in the Central Interior and Okanagan areas.