State of emergency declared as fast-moving Canada wildfire doubles in size

'It's going crazy': Eyewitnesses capture forest fires raging across British Columbia A state of emergency has been declared after thousands of people were forced to flee their homes as a fast-moving wildfire in a remote part of western Canada spread rapidly, doubling in size since it was first detected on Friday. The Bald Range fire now occupies more than 39 sq miles (103 sq km) across the Summerland, Peachland and other districts of British Columbia, according to the BC Wildfire Service. British Columbia Premier David Eby told a news conference on Saturday that one fire official had likened the fire to "a bomb going off". The flames were so high that they had created their own weather systems, which creates lightning, Eby said. A column of smoke was seen rising over a residential street in Summerland The Bald Range wildfire burns, as seen from a vehicle, northwest of Summerland, British Columbia, Canada "Homes have been lost, and properties have been destroyed.

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Scoop News DeskCanada · Published Sunday, August 9, 2026 at 6:46 AM UTCUpdated Sunday, August 9, 2026 at 7:05 AM UTC

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Smoke from those Canadian wildfires drifted down into parts of the US, including Minnesota and New York, leading US President Donald Trump to threaten new tariffs on the US's northern neighbour. ‘Wiped out’ - BBC reports from Spokane neighbourhood devastated by fires Toronto, New York and Washington top list of most polluted cities as wildfires burn Watch our pick of standout clips from across the BBC Andy Burnham to embark on cost of living tour through the UK Fifa criticises campaign to oust president Infantino Killed a month after his wedding - why PC Andrew Harper's death touched so many I went for a full body MOT and the results came as a shock Pokémon hobby takes brothers to world championships 'We had to flee with just my daughter's clothes and dolls' Obesity rates have doubled in England since 1993 - what's going on? The Bald Range wildfires triggered the largest evacuation event this summer and more than 20,000 people across British Columbia have evacuated their homes, officials say. "A lot of farms have been affected.