dailynewsnblog
The Bald Range fire was mapped at more than 100 square kilometres on Saturday evening, just over 24 hours after it sparked near Summerland.
The BC Wildfire Service says it is one of the most challenging fires this province has ever faced, involving helicopter rescues of dozens of people trapped behind the fire line.
The province says tactical evacuations are still underway on Saturday, but it is unclear how many people may be stuck behind the fire lines.
On Friday night, at least 55 people were rescued by helicopter as the wildfire moved fast.
Thousands of properties are under an evacuation order on Saturday, including the entire district of Summerland and part of Peachland, while thousands more are under alert.
Get daily National news
Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories.
“I also want to stress that the conditions we face in B.C. right now, in particular in the southern third, are explosive,” Cliff Chapman with the BC Wildfire Service said.
“When we see a fire start, when we see the smoke lift, we are going to be challenged and we may see fires do what we saw on this fire last night. I cannot stress enough that the conditions we are facing right now are conditions that we have never seen before.”
B.C. Premier David Eby declared a provincial State of Emergency on Saturday.
“Homes have been lost, and properties have been destroyed,” Eby said.
“Some people became trapped as conditions changed very quickly and needed to be rescued. It remains a very dynamic and threatening situation. To everyone affected, you are not alone. British Columbians are with you. This new fire marks a significant shift in the overall fire situation in our province.”
The number of homes lost or properties destroyed may not be known for some time.
Summerland’s Mayor Doug Holmes told Global News that the Garnet Valley, Prairie Valley and Faulder areas were hit hard, but he said the downtown core is fine. However, the fire remains close.
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
