Bald Range wildfire forces full evacuation of Summerland, B.C.

newsAug 8, 202636371

The Bald Range wildfire grew to about 50 square kilometres within three hours of being detected at 5:30 p.m. PT Friday and forced a full evacuation of the District of Summerland early Saturday morning, affecting more than 20,000 people. Regional officials declared a state of emergency and expanded evacuation orders and alerts into parts of Peachland and Electoral Area West, with dozens of additional properties placed on alert. Erick Thompson with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen said B.C. Wildfire Service characterizes the blaze as out of control and exhibiting aggressive Rank 5 behaviour, with embers carried up to a kilometre ahead of the main fire. At least 55 people were rescued by air support and authorities deployed air tankers, helicopters and ground crews while initiating tactical evacuations as the fire moved toward structures. Officials warned Highway 97 may be closed as crews continue firefighting and evacuation operations.

alexander solsten

@solsten.bsky.social

My relatives live in Summerland. No word from them yet. The official government position is to accept these fires as new reality while simultaneously building more pipelines & gas plants. Absolutely unreal @danielbachman.bsky.social www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

352h ago

alexander solsten3

Of course that area is quite arid and they have had wildfires before but never grew that fast or big. Like, what are we doing the entire rest of the year to prevent these from happening?

Maryanne Knight1

I hope your family is okay. These fires are terrifying

Peter Louwe1

Has our oil and gas PM even mentioned the BC fires? Seems relevant to his job, being in Canada and all.

cageyratfish (UTC-7) 🐟🏳️‍⚧️

@cageyratfish.bsky.social

jesus fucking christ. this is a BRAND NEW FIRE. it started *late this afternoon*. it's already 5000 hectares (that's over 12,000 acres), has 3 evacuation orders & 2 evacuation alerts. Summerland is just north of Penticton & is a very popular resort community in BC i want to [redacted] Carney & Eby

3110h ago

Erin

@erindraws.bsky.social

Terrifying and heart-breaking. This is because of climate change, unfettered oil and gas development and logging. My family is safely evacuated. Thinking of everyone there, including the domestic and wild animals plus all of the places that make Summerland special. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

262h ago

Jorj, Interim DEITY🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦💪🏽

@just-jorj.bsky.social

The Bald Range Wildfire has grown to 5000 hectares in an afternoon. It’s about 15 kilometres south east of us. The wind is currently blowing away from us. Go bags packed and 🤞.

The glow of the Bald Range wildfire as seen from Peachland.

3410h ago

elruben.bsky.social1

Be safe good luck and Godspeed!

Cheryl in Nova Scotia 🇨🇦🍁🍁

@minibubbly.bsky.social

#BritishColumbia Entire community of Summerland ordered to evacuate due to fast-moving wildfire The Bald Range wildfire grew rapidly to 50 square kilometres in size within hours www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

194h ago

Nancy F1

May they all be safe ❤️

Dream🍁Fly🌷Leonie1

I remember the emotional chaos of a wildfire evacuation. "Where did you end up" is still a question new acquaintances ask each other 3 years after Yellowknife got evacuated. I pray everybody in the region gets through this with the support they need.

Quoting this

Man about cowtown8

Coolest summer of the rest of our lives.

Pat

@pat112.bsky.social

Who profits Major oil corporations have reported massive windfall profits, amassing over $93 billion globally in a single quarter. Who pays Entire community of Summerland, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to fast-moving wildfire, as profits rule #Cdnpoli #Climate www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

152h ago

Tom Moffatt

@solarab.bsky.social

Entire community of Summerland B.C. ordered to evacuate due to wildfire #bcpoli #yvr #cdnpoli #ClimateCrisis www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

144h ago

Miss Em Zee

@missemzee.bsky.social

Please say a prayer and whatever else you can muster to my family and friends in Summerland BC. The whole town has been evacuated and the photos they are sending are breaking my heart.

223h ago

shaky spinster

@jessreid.bsky.social

My mom’s town in Summerland BC in Canada is under evacuation right now due to a wildfire that grew very quickly nearby with incredibly dry conditions. Absolutely feck the climate crisis deniers at this point #wildfire

A hillside with trees engulfed in flames in a wildfire near Summerland BC

238h ago

shaky spinster13

My mom has made it to Penticton but is just staying in her car for now. Very scary to be evacuating 12,000 people in the middle of the night

Lisa Kadonaga2

This is scary -- it's late enough that some people have gone to bed and might not get the warnings. Hope your mom and her neighbours are okay. www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/7aug26/

Tarnjit Parmar

@tarnjitparmar.bsky.social

Province wide coverage on cbc radio across BC at midnight. More information that you’d need to know as the fire near summerland continues to edge towards the community.

159h ago

BC Wildfire Weekly - Wildfires + More

@bcwildfirewkly.bsky.social

“Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes told Global News that residents in Meadow Valley, most of whom are farm owners, could not leave because the fire blocked the road, so they had to be helicoptered to safety.” globalnews.ca/news/1201402... - @globalnews.ca #BCWildfire #BaldRangeWildfire #Summerland

139h ago

Climate Watcher

@pmagn.bsky.social

Significant risk to life': Evacuation orders issued for wildfire near Summerland Fast-growing Bald Range wildfire grew rapidly to 50 square kilometres in size www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

89h ago

ᵀᴴᴱꀤNGᒪOᖇIOᑌᔕ¹

@inglorious.bsky.social

Summerland BC may be burning to the ground right now. But Carney is going to use taxpayer dollars in part from the thousands of evacuees to build the most profitable industry in human history annew pipeline: even as the world moves away from O&G. www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/7aug26/

84h ago

Oli Josephson 🇨🇦

@d2earth.bsky.social

Entire community of Summerland, all 12,000 evacuated. Looks like the town could be a complete loss. What climate crisis? www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

102h ago

Quoting this

FuzzyWuzzy in Toronto🇨🇦24

Such horrors lie in store. I think of the animals. The little spiders and beetles and ground squirrels that never had a chance.

cm 🍁

@cmcalgary.bsky.social

"An EVACUATION ORDER has been issued for Summerland in its entirety. Residents on evacuation order should leave their properties immediately to keep safe." Order: www.summerland.ca/docs/default... FB post: www.facebook.com/SummerlandBC... #Summerland #BC #BCWildfire

88h ago

3 sources

cbc.caFull evacuation order of Summerland, B.C., issued due to out-of-control wildfire | CBC News summerlandreview.comUPDATE: Evacuation order issued for parts of Peachland due to Bald Range wildfire - Summerland Review theweathernetwork.comEntire Summerland community ordered to evacuate due to fast-moving wildfire - The Weather Network

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Bald Range wildfire forces full evacuation of Summerland, B.C.

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