Canada is facing a new wildfire in British Columbia that has more than doubled in size since Friday, forcing authorities to order the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents from nearby towns.
Foreign news agencies reported on Saturday, 8 Aug 2026 GMT+7, that Canada is confronting a new wildfire called the 'Bald Range' fire, which broke out on Friday and rapidly expanded, doubling in size in a short time to cover over 95 square kilometers in the Summerland and Okanagan-Similkameen areas of British Columbia.
Officials have described it as one of the fastest-growing wildfires ever recorded, with the situation still "uncontrollable," leading authorities to order the evacuation of more than 12,000 residents of Summerland, including relocating elderly people from care homes to safe areas. Even local emergency personnel had to leave their operations center to evacuate their own families.
Additionally, residents in the area are struggling to move large pets such as horses. Many have reluctantly opened corral gates to let the animals escape and have marked them with paint for identification later.
Canada has faced hundreds of wildfires this summer, resulting in heavy smoke covering many cities and placing air quality among the worst in the world. The smoke drifting into the United States has become a political flashpoint, with President Donald Trump threatening to impose new tariffs on Canada over the issue.
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Source:bbc