About 100 firefighters from Mexico are expected to arrive on Tuesday to assist in battling a deadly wildfire that has forced 20,000 people to flee and destroyed homes and other properties near Okanagan Lake in Western Canada, officials said.
The 156-square-kilometre fire has claimed the life of an 80-year-old woman and has been advancing toward Summerland, a community of roughly 12,000 people located about 300 kilometres east of Vancouver. The woman died in Meadow Valley, west of Summerland, while trying to escape, authorities confirmed.
Hugh Murdoch of the British Columbia Wildfire Service described the task facing crews as a “monumental task,” citing steep terrain and hot conditions. Burning embers are igniting new fires beyond the main perimeter, limiting opportunities for firefighters to attack the blaze directly.
Criminal investigation opened
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have launched a criminal investigation into the cause of the fire, which broke out on Friday. The fire has destroyed numerous homes, but dangerous conditions have prevented crews from completing damage assessments.
Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes warned on Monday that the town’s 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.”
Around 100 wildfires were burning across British Columbia, 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.
The arrival of Mexican crews underscores the increasingly international nature of wildfire response, as countries share resources to combat blazes that are becoming more frequent and intense. This summer has seen similar cooperation across Europe, where wildfires have raged across southern Europe amid persistent heatwaves, prompting calls for greater cross-border solidarity.
In Spain, for instance, a wildfire in Huelva forced 800 evacuations as drought conditions worsened, while a blaze above Lake Garda in Italy forced the evacuation of 200 residents and tourists. These events highlight the shared challenges faced by firefighting agencies worldwide.
As the situation in British Columbia develops, local officials are urging residents to remain vigilant and heed evacuation orders. The coming days will be critical as crews work to contain the blaze and assess the full extent of the damage.
