Federal government assists B.C. as wildfires force 20,000 from Okanagan communities

The federal government is assisting British Columbia after wildfires forced more than 20,000 residents to evacuate communities across the Okanagan region and led the province to declare a state of emergency.

Ottawa said it is responding to a request from B.C. to find shelter space for evacuees displaced by the fast-expanding wildfire, which broke out Friday and grew rapidly over the weekend. The fire destroyed homes, barns, and other infrastructure in its path, with Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes describing a scene of widespread destruction as residents fled.

The wildfire has driven severe impacts across the region. An 80-year-old woman died while attempting to leave her Meadow Valley home, though an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of death. The fire continues to burn with no containment timeline announced.

More broadly, Canada faced extreme wildfire conditions over the past week, with more than 620 active wildfires burning across the country as of Sunday. Experts attribute the accelerating crisis to severe drought and more frequent heat waves driven by changing climate conditions. Greenhouse gas emissions continue to climb despite international commitments to curb them, creating conditions that produce fast-expanding infernos at an unprecedented scale.