Wildfires Force Evacuations in U.S. and Canada

Wildfires across the western United States and Canada on Sunday had residents following potential evacuation orders, while some already evacuated awaited news of what remained of their homes. In western Canada, more than 20,000 people fled communities along Okanagan Lake in British Columbia as a fast-moving wildfire destroyed homes. Some residents were airlifted to safety.

Wildfires in Washington

In the United States, crews in Washington continued fighting three wildfires that began over a week ago near Spokane. Cleanup efforts were underway near containment lines. Laurie Allen, from Nine Mile Falls, north of Spokane, evacuated with her husband, dog, and two kittens. Roads to her neighborhood remained closed, but a friend’s update informed her that while ash-covered, her home and surrounding properties were intact. Allen expressed the emotional toll, stating, “We didn’t think about anything but grabbing our animals and leaving. It’s pretty devastating for our friends and family.”

Evacuations in Canada

In Canada, Anette Boulet was among those who fled Summerland, a town of about 12,000 by Okanagan Lake. As Boulet and her family evacuated early Saturday, smoke obscured their home. The Bald Range fire continued burning on the hills above Summerland. Boulet described the scene as terrifying, with “the ridge of fire just coming towards you.” Tragically, an 80-year-old woman passed away attempting to escape the wildfire in the Okanagan Lake region.

Beyond Summerland, the Bald Range fire led to further evacuations of roughly 8,000 people in and around Peachland. British Columbia declared a state of emergency Saturday. Eleanor Olszewski, Canada’s minister of emergency management and community resilience, approved British Columbia’s request for federal assistance to provide shelter for evacuees. Greg Krauter, evacuated with his seven goats from Summerland, tended to them at an evacuee center in Penticton.

Spokane-area Fires

In Spokane, crews maintained “mop-up operations” Sunday, and none of the fires were expanding. In a week, about 920 structures had suffered damage or destruction. Authorities arrested a suspect for intentionally setting the biggest fire in the area.

Malden residents, 35 miles south of Spokane, faced evacuation orders Saturday, which turned into readiness to leave quickly by Sunday. John Goyke, operating Malden’s water under contract, noted that “the wind is fairly calm. The fire is not progressing,” relying on social media for communication. Malden residents were asked to conserve water, necessary for firefighting efforts. The town lost key facilities during a 2020 wildfire.

Helicopter Crash in Utah

In a separate incident, two helicopter pilots died when their aircraft crashed while combating a wildfire in Utah’s Fishlake National Forest Friday. Teams reached the site Saturday confirming the fatalities. Fire activity delayed their approach, confronting them with smoke from both the crash site and an approaching fire. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.

Associated Press reporter Holly Ramer contributed to this report.