British Columbia Declares Emergency as Wildfire Forces 20,000 to Flee

British Columbia declared a state of emergency on August 8, 2026, as the Bald Range wildfire burned 9,500 hectares out of control. The entire community of Summerland (~12,000 people) was evacuated overnight, along with 8,000 more near Peachland — over 20,000 displaced in total. The fire followed the Bradley Creek blaze, which is believed to have destroyed more than 200 homes.