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, 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 creating its own weather system that generates lightning.

The fire, first reported on Friday evening, grew rapidly overnight, spreading to approximately 9,500 hectares (23,500 acres) by Saturday. This expansion led to the evacuation of all 12,000 residents in the Summerland district.

Homes and properties have been lost, and some individuals became trapped as conditions changed quickly, necessitating rescues.

The Summerland fire is among many wildfires challenging emergency crews across the province. British Columbia has experienced 70 new wildfires in the past week, with 105 currently 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