B.C. wildfire kills woman, forces mass evacuations near Summerland
An 80-year-old woman died fleeing the Bald Range wildfire as more than 20,000 people were ordered out overnight around Summerland and Peachland.
An 80-year-old woman died while trying to escape the Bald Range wildfire as flames raced toward Summerland and Peachland, forcing more than 20,000 people out of their homes overnight. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the woman died during the evacuation.
British Columbia declared a provincial state of emergency on Aug. 8 as the fire grew with explosive speed near the Okanagan region. The declaration was meant to give emergency responders additional tools to protect residents, while aircraft rescued dozens of people from threatened areas as roads and ground routes came under pressure.
The evacuation orders covered the entire community of Summerland, which has a population of about 12,000, and about 8,000 people in and around nearby Peachland. More than 100 wildfires were burning across British Columbia at the time, and nearly half were out of control, leaving fire crews stretched across the province as the Bald Range blaze expanded.
The wildfire destroyed homes in its path, but officials had not yet determined how many were lost. The fire started on Friday, Aug. 8, 2026, and spread fast enough to force residents from homes around Okanagan Lake within hours.
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