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Wildfires rage in British Columbia, force evacuation of thousands

Wildfires rage in British Columbia, force evacuation of thousands

Wildfires rage in British Columbia, force evacuation of thousands

Wildfires rage in British Columbia, force evacuation of thousands

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  • Canada faces its worst wildfire season ever, with over 1,000 fires across the country.
  • Climate change contributes to hot, dry conditions that fuel these fires, experts warn.
  • Intense heat draws out ground moisture, providing fuel for fast-spreading fires, especially with strong winds.
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In Canada’s British Columbia, approximately 15,000 residents have been told to leave as firefighters battle catastrophic wildfires that have destroyed homes.

West Kelowna, a population of 36,000 people, was evacuated after a “significant” number of buildings caught fire, according to officials.

A state of emergency has been proclaimed for the entire province, which is home to hundreds of different fires.

A massive fire is burning hundreds of kilometres north of Yellowknife.

On Friday, an official deadline to evacuate the city – the capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories – passed. Later that day, a local official stated that practically all inhabitants had gone by automobile or plane.

According to Shane Thompson, the territories’ environment and communities minister, approximately 19,000 of the city’s 20,000 residents had left.

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“Some are choosing to shelter in place. If you are still in Yellowknife and you are not essential to the emergency response, please evacuate,” Mr Thompson warned.

He cautioned that the wildfires could have an impact on the highways and airport.

In British Columbia, evacuation orders increased from 4,000 houses on Friday afternoon to over 15,000 in less than an hour. Another 20,000 residences are on high alert.

Premier David Eby remarked that evening that the situation had “evolved rapidly” and that officials were bracing for “an extremely challenging situation in the days ahead.”

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“This year, we’re facing the worst #BCWildfire season ever,” Mr Eby wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Given these fast-moving conditions, we are declaring a provincial state of emergency.”

The premier stated that this would ensure “that we can quickly access any tools we need to support communities.”

He warned that “emergency orders could include travel restrictions to specific areas if people do not respect our calls to avoid non-essential travel” as more people were evacuated.

According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC), Canada is experiencing its worst wildfire season on record, with at least 1,000 flames raging across the country.

According to experts, climate change increases the likelihood of hot, dry weather that fuels wildfires.

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Extreme and long-lasting heat takes more and more moisture from the earth, providing fuel for flames that can spread at breakneck speed, especially if winds are strong.

West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund had described the incident as “devastating.”

“We fought hard last night to protect our community. We fought 100 years worth of fires all in one night,” he added.

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Local officials have already reported “significant structural loss” in the area, including Trader’s Cove, which is located just north of West Kelowna.

So far, no fatalities have been reported.

Juliana Loewen lives in Kelowna, a larger twin city to West Kelowna on Okanagan Lake’s eastern bank. She told that neighbours saw a “ominous cloud of destruction” rising over the mountainside and that some people on the Trader’s Cove side jumped into the lake as the fire spread and exit routes were shut.

After “the fire jumped very quickly from one tree to an entire area, threatening an entire residential community,” her brother and grandmother escaped to her house.

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Local people are used to flames due to the area’s “California-style climate,” but the current heat, dryness, and wind have created the “perfect conditions for a firestorm,” according to Ms Loewen.

The airspace near Kelowna International Airport is currently blocked to everybody but airborne firefighters.

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