# Canada declares B.C. emergency as wildfire forces 20,000 to flee 2026-08-09T11:43:33+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Canadian officials declared a state of emergency in British Columbia on Saturday after a fast-moving wildfire forced the overnight evacuation of more than 20,000 people. The Bald Range fire, first reported Friday evening, grew rapidly, covering roughly 10,000 hectares by Sunday. Premier David Eby said homes and property have been lost and some residents became trapped. Air evacuations are underway for people isolated behind the fire perimeter. British Columbia has 102 active wildfires, nearly half deemed out of control. The RCMP is investigating a possible fatality reported in Meadow Valley. Canada has seen 4 million hectares burn in 2026. Researchers from World Weather Attribution said human-induced climate change doubled the likelihood of the extreme fire conditions behind this year's fires. ## Coverage - news.abplive.com - thehindu.com Tags: British Columbia, Canada, climate, evacuation, wildfire Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/canada-declares-emergency-in-british-columbia-as-20000-flee-wildfires/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/canada-declares-emergency-in-british-columbia-as-20000-flee-wildfires/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.