Canadian officials declared a state of emergency in British Columbia on Saturday, August 9th, 2026, after more than 20,000 people were ordered to evacuate due to a fast-moving wildfire.

British Columbia Premier David Eby described the intensity of the blaze, quoting a fire official who compared it to "a bomb going off." He detailed flames engulfing a 100-foot (30-meter) tree, with flames rising 200 feet above that, and noted the fire was creating its own weather system, which generated lightning.

The fire, first reported on Friday evening, expanded rapidly overnight, spreading to approximately 9,500 hectares (23,500 acres) by Saturday. This prompted the evacuation of all 12,000 residents in the Summerland district. Some individuals became trapped as conditions changed quickly and required rescue.

The Summerland fire is among many wildfires currently challenging emergency crews across the province. British Columbia has experienced 70 new wildfires in the past week, with 105 active fires burning, according to British Columbia Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar.

Across Canada, wildfires have scorched 4 million hectares in 2026, as reported by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center.

Sources