By Nurat Uthman
Approximately 15,000 households in British Columbia, Canada, have been instructed to evacuate due to the devastating wildfires that have engulfed homes. Officials have reported that a significant number of buildings in West Kelowna, a city with a population of 36,000, have caught fire, resulting in the evacuation of over 2,400 homes.
The entire province has declared a state of emergency as numerous fires continue to burn.
The situation has become even more critical as a massive fire approaches Yellowknife, the capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories. Although a deadline to evacuate the city has passed, the majority of residents have left by car or plane.
Only a small number of individuals have chosen to remain in Yellowknife. The territories’ environment and communities minister, Shane Thompson, urged those still in the city to evacuate, warning that the wildfires could affect the highways and airport.
In British Columbia, evacuation orders have rapidly increased from 4,000 homes to 15,000 in just one hour, with an additional 20,000 homes on alert.
Premier David Eby acknowledged the severity of the situation and declared a provincial state of emergency to ensure the availability of necessary resources for affected communities. Eby also cautioned that if people do not adhere to the calls to avoid non-essential travel, travel restrictions to specific areas may be implemented.
A resident of Kelowna described the fires as a menacing cloud of destruction descending over the mountainside.
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) has confirmed that the country is experiencing its worst wildfire season to date, with over 1,000 fires burning across Canada. Experts attribute the increase in wildfires to climate change, which intensifies the risk of hot and dry weather conditions.
