Mexico firefighters join Canada battle as Okanagan wildfire displaces 20,000
Mexico is sending about 100 firefighters to help battle the deadly Okanagan Lake wildfire in British Columbia. The blaze has displaced 20,000 people, destroyed homes and triggered a criminal investigation into its cause.
About 100 firefighters from Mexico were expected to arrive on Tuesday to help battle a deadly wildfire near Okanagan Lake in western Canada that has forced 20,000 people to flee and destroyed homes and other properties, officials said.
The fire has killed an 80-year-old woman and spread towards Summerland, a community of about 12,000 people roughly 300 kilometres east of Vancouver. Officials said the cause of the fire, which began on Friday, is under criminal investigation.
Hugh Murdoch of the British Columbia Wildfire Service said crews were facing a "monumental task" in steep terrain and hot conditions. He said burning embers were starting new fires beyond the main perimeter, limiting chances for firefighters to directly attack the blaze.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have opened a criminal investigation into the cause of the fire. While numerous homes have been destroyed, officials said dangerous conditions have stopped crews from completing full damage assessments. Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes warned on Monday that residents should not expect to return home soon. "We need to brace ourselves for what's there or what's not there," Holmes said at a briefing, his voice breaking. "It's going to be hard. It's going to be really hard. We all know people who have lost homes. And those people need our help."
Evacuated residents described the shock of leaving their homes behind. Lucille and Gordon Beach of Summerland were in Vancouver for their granddaughter's weekend wedding when they learnt the fire had started. "We didn't feel too celebratory," Lucille Beach said on Tuesday. The couple, now staying in West Kelowna with their dog, have not seen their home since leaving on Friday, though they believed it was safe. Lucille Beach said it took a few days to come to terms with what was happening.
Carmen Bodzasy, who recently moved to Summerland with her husband, said she had to evacuate along unfamiliar roads while he was away for work. Before leaving, she said, "I cried my eyes out for a minute, and I thought, you know what, if I had to restart over, what would I take with me?" She took photographs of her parents' wedding, of her children's families and of herself and her husband. "I thought if I didn't have walls to go home to, at least I have memories to put up on my new one," she said. Holding her small dog on Tuesday, she said she did not know the condition of their home, but added that she planned to stay in Summerland. "I'll do whatever I can to help that town rebuild because everybody's so kind there," she said.
About 100 wildfires were burning across British Columbia, with roughly half of them out of control. The British Columbia Wildfire Service also warned of a high risk of new lightning-caused fires in the province's central Interior and Okanagan region. In the United States, firefighters in California were on Tuesday battling a blaze in the Big Sur region that had burned about eight square kilometres. State parks in the area were closed and evacuation orders were in place, including for an 11-kilometre stretch of Highway 1, though California Highway Patrol spokesperson Ryan Moore said the highway was open on Tuesday morning. Authorities said the Timber Fire had remained east of the highway. The wildfire near Okanagan Lake remains one of the most serious blazes in the region, with thousands displaced, homes lost and crews still struggling in difficult conditions.
With PTI Inputs
About 100 firefighters from Mexico were expected to arrive on Tuesday to help battle a deadly wildfire near Okanagan Lake in western Canada that has forced 20,000 people to flee and destroyed homes and other properties, officials said.
The fire has killed an 80-year-old woman and spread towards Summerland, a community of about 12,000 people roughly 300 kilometres east of Vancouver. Officials said the cause of the fire, which began on Friday, is under criminal investigation.
Hugh Murdoch of the British Columbia Wildfire Service said crews were facing a "monumental task" in steep terrain and hot conditions. He said burning embers were starting new fires beyond the main perimeter, limiting chances for firefighters to directly attack the blaze.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have opened a criminal investigation into the cause of the fire. While numerous homes have been destroyed, officials said dangerous conditions have stopped crews from completing full damage assessments. Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes warned on Monday that residents should not expect to return home soon. "We need to brace ourselves for what's there or what's not there," Holmes said at a briefing, his voice breaking. "It's going to be hard. It's going to be really hard. We all know people who have lost homes. And those people need our help."
Evacuated residents described the shock of leaving their homes behind. Lucille and Gordon Beach of Summerland were in Vancouver for their granddaughter's weekend wedding when they learnt the fire had started. "We didn't feel too celebratory," Lucille Beach said on Tuesday. The couple, now staying in West Kelowna with their dog, have not seen their home since leaving on Friday, though they believed it was safe. Lucille Beach said it took a few days to come to terms with what was happening.
Carmen Bodzasy, who recently moved to Summerland with her husband, said she had to evacuate along unfamiliar roads while he was away for work. Before leaving, she said, "I cried my eyes out for a minute, and I thought, you know what, if I had to restart over, what would I take with me?" She took photographs of her parents' wedding, of her children's families and of herself and her husband. "I thought if I didn't have walls to go home to, at least I have memories to put up on my new one," she said. Holding her small dog on Tuesday, she said she did not know the condition of their home, but added that she planned to stay in Summerland. "I'll do whatever I can to help that town rebuild because everybody's so kind there," she said.
About 100 wildfires were burning across British Columbia, with roughly half of them out of control. The British Columbia Wildfire Service also warned of a high risk of new lightning-caused fires in the province's central Interior and Okanagan region. In the United States, firefighters in California were on Tuesday battling a blaze in the Big Sur region that had burned about eight square kilometres. State parks in the area were closed and evacuation orders were in place, including for an 11-kilometre stretch of Highway 1, though California Highway Patrol spokesperson Ryan Moore said the highway was open on Tuesday morning. Authorities said the Timber Fire had remained east of the highway. The wildfire near Okanagan Lake remains one of the most serious blazes in the region, with thousands displaced, homes lost and crews still struggling in difficult conditions.
With PTI Inputs
About 100 firefighters from Mexico were expected to arrive on Tuesday to help battle a deadly wildfire near Okanagan Lake in western Canada that has forced 20,000 people to flee and destroyed homes and other properties, officials said.
The fire has killed an 80-year-old woman and spread towards Summerland, a community of about 12,000 people roughly 300 kilometres east of Vancouver. Officials said the cause of the fire, which began on Friday, is under criminal investigation.
Hugh Murdoch of the British Columbia Wildfire Service said crews were facing a "monumental task" in steep terrain and hot conditions. He said burning embers were starting new fires beyond the main perimeter, limiting chances for firefighters to directly attack the blaze.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have opened a criminal investigation into the cause of the fire. While numerous homes have been destroyed, officials said dangerous conditions have stopped crews from completing full damage assessments. Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes warned on Monday that residents should not expect to return home soon. "We need to brace ourselves for what's there or what's not there," Holmes said at a briefing, his voice breaking. "It's going to be hard. It's going to be really hard. We all know people who have lost homes. And those people need our help."
Evacuated residents described the shock of leaving their homes behind. Lucille and Gordon Beach of Summerland were in Vancouver for their granddaughter's weekend wedding when they learnt the fire had started. "We didn't feel too celebratory," Lucille Beach said on Tuesday. The couple, now staying in West Kelowna with their dog, have not seen their home since leaving on Friday, though they believed it was safe. Lucille Beach said it took a few days to come to terms with what was happening.
Carmen Bodzasy, who recently moved to Summerland with her husband, said she had to evacuate along unfamiliar roads while he was away for work. Before leaving, she said, "I cried my eyes out for a minute, and I thought, you know what, if I had to restart over, what would I take with me?" She took photographs of her parents' wedding, of her children's families and of herself and her husband. "I thought if I didn't have walls to go home to, at least I have memories to put up on my new one," she said. Holding her small dog on Tuesday, she said she did not know the condition of their home, but added that she planned to stay in Summerland. "I'll do whatever I can to help that town rebuild because everybody's so kind there," she said.
About 100 wildfires were burning across British Columbia, with roughly half of them out of control. The British Columbia Wildfire Service also warned of a high risk of new lightning-caused fires in the province's central Interior and Okanagan region. In the United States, firefighters in California were on Tuesday battling a blaze in the Big Sur region that had burned about eight square kilometres. State parks in the area were closed and evacuation orders were in place, including for an 11-kilometre stretch of Highway 1, though California Highway Patrol spokesperson Ryan Moore said the highway was open on Tuesday morning. Authorities said the Timber Fire had remained east of the highway. The wildfire near Okanagan Lake remains one of the most serious blazes in the region, with thousands displaced, homes lost and crews still struggling in difficult conditions.
With PTI Inputs
