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 fast-moving wildfires.

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

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

The Summerland fire is among 105 active wildfires currently burning across British Columbia. The province has experienced 70 new wildfires in the past week alone, 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