Posted on Aug 19, 2023
Canada wildfires: British Columbia declares emergency as 15,000 homes told to evacuate
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About 15,000 households have been ordered to evacuate in Canada's British Columbia, as firefighters battle raging wildfires that have set homes ablaze.
Officials said a "significant" number of buildings caught fire in West Kelowna, a city of 36,000 people, and more than 2,400 homes were evacuated.
A state of emergency has been declared for the entire province, where hundreds of separate fires are burning.
Hundreds of miles north, a huge fire edges towards the city of Yellowknife.
An official deadline to evacuate the city - the capital of Canada's Northwest Territories - lapsed on Friday. A local official said later that day that nearly all residents had left, either by car or plane.
About 19,000 of the city's 20,000 inhabitants had evacuated, the territories' environment and communities minister Shane Thompson told reporters.
"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 said.
He warned that the highways and airport could be impacted by the wildfires.
Officials said a "significant" number of buildings caught fire in West Kelowna, a city of 36,000 people, and more than 2,400 homes were evacuated.
A state of emergency has been declared for the entire province, where hundreds of separate fires are burning.
Hundreds of miles north, a huge fire edges towards the city of Yellowknife.
An official deadline to evacuate the city - the capital of Canada's Northwest Territories - lapsed on Friday. A local official said later that day that nearly all residents had left, either by car or plane.
About 19,000 of the city's 20,000 inhabitants had evacuated, the territories' environment and communities minister Shane Thompson told reporters.
"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 said.
He warned that the highways and airport could be impacted by the wildfires.
Canada wildfires: British Columbia declares emergency as 15,000 homes told to evacuate
Posted from bbc.comPosted in these groups: 
Canada
Canada
Posted 9 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
"British Columbia, a western province of Canada, has declared a state of emergency after wildfires tore through the mountains above the town of West Kelowna, forcing thousands of evacuations123. The officials released a statement saying that the next 24 to 48 hours could be the most critical1. The number of people under evacuation order in B.C. went from 4,500 to 15,000 in a matter of an hour2. The state of emergency came after the entire town of Lytton and much of the surrounding countryside burned to the ground on June 30."
"British Columbia, a western province of Canada, has declared a state of emergency after wildfires tore through the mountains above the town of West Kelowna, forcing thousands of evacuations123. The officials released a statement saying that the next 24 to 48 hours could be the most critical1. The number of people under evacuation order in B.C. went from 4,500 to 15,000 in a matter of an hour2. The state of emergency came after the entire town of Lytton and much of the surrounding countryside burned to the ground on June 30."
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They will get some relief. It went from hot 92 degrees to 50 degrees and rain all day.
It is 58 degrees right now so it will help firefighters.
It is 58 degrees right now so it will help firefighters.
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