Thousands evacuated as huge wildfire spreads in Canada

A fast-moving wildfire has swept through western Canada, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes.

A wildfire in Bald Range was burning out of control and had grown to about 9,500 hectares - roughly the size of 13,300 football pitches.

Authorities declared a state of emergency in the district of ‌Summerland, British Columbia, but this was subsequently widened to cover the entire province.

"Homes have ⁠been lost, and properties ‌have been destroyed," British Columbia's premier David ⁠Eby said.

"Some people became ‌trapped as conditions changed very quickly, and needed to be ⁠rescued. It ​remains a very ​dynamic and threatening ​situation."

Several regions ‌in Canada, including Ontario and Quebec, have battled blazes this year as hot, dry weather fuelled wildfires in dense forest areas.

Fires have ​burned through 3.9 million hectares of land in Canada this year, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest ‌Fire Centre.

Now, around 1,500 firefighters are deployed across British Columbia, with 39 evacuation orders and 49 alerts in place.

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The district of Summerland said it lost power on ​Saturday due to the impact of the wildfire.

Residents have been told to boil water after a water treatment plant ‌was bypassed due to the wildfire threat, resulting in untreated water entering the system.

(c) Sky News 2026: Thousands evacuated as huge wildfire spreads in Canada