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British Columbia Declares State of Emergency Amid 105 Wildfires
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In Short: British Columbia has declared a state of emergency as over 105 wildfires spread across the province, forcing thousands to evacuate.
Canadian officials declared a state of emergency in British Columbia on Saturday after a fast-moving wildfire prompted the evacuation of more than 20,000 people. The fire, which was first reported Friday evening, grew rapidly overnight, leading to widespread evacuation orders.
The situation in British Columbia has worsened with 70 new wildfires reported over the past week, bringing the total to 105 currently burning, according to British Columbia Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar.
This latest emergency follows a concerning trend, as fires have already scorched 4 million hectares in Canada in 2026, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center.
Wikipedia notes that Canada, the second-largest country by total area, spans from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it a vast and diverse landscape prone to such natural disasters.
Background
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the second-largest country by total area, with the longest coastline of any country.
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- Canadian officials on Saturday declared a state of emergency in British Columbia after more than 20,000 people were ordered to flee a fast-moving wildfire.
- The fire, first reported Friday evening, grew rapidly overnight, triggering widespread evacuation orders.
- The province has seen 70 new wildfires over the past week, and 105 are currently burning, according to British Columbia Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar.
- Fires have scorched 4 million hectares in Canada in 2026, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center.