Urgent evacuation order issued for fast-moving wildfire near Summerland

A new out-of-control wildfire has ignited near Summerland, forcing residents to evacuate with little notice.

The Bald Range wildfire was first reported on Friday afternoon, about 15 kilometres west of the community.

In just the span of a few hours, the blaze grew in size to more than 5,000 hectares.

The BC Wildfire Service says it’s displaying aggressive rank 5 behaviour, with an organized flame front with a fast rate of spread and moderate to long-range spotting.

It also says gusty winds fuelled the quick growth and complicated the firefight for aircraft.

An evacuation order has been issued for areas west of Summerland, and parts of the community itself.

Erick Thompson with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen’s emergency operations centre says the fire was first detected at 5:30 p.m.

He says the fast-moving fire poses an immediate threat and those in the evacuation zone from Summerland north to Peachland need to get out in the face of one of the “quickest-moving, fastest-growing” fires the area has ever seen.

Residents in the following area must evacuate to the north.

• 7210 Brent Road to 7100 Brent Road
• 7280 HWY 97S to 6801 HWY 97S
• 307 Log Chute Road to 303 Log Chute Road

An evacuation alert has also been ordered due to this wildfire.

It is in place for Brenda Mines Rd, Upper Princeton and Renfrew neighbourhoods.

The following addresses are covered in this alert:

· 5875 Brenda Mines Rd

· 6205 – 6230 Bonnie Lane

· 5268 – 5323 Bradbury Street

· 4905 – 4996 Bradley Drive

· 6140 – 6220 Brigade Court

· 6272 – 6590 Bulyea Avenue

· 4948 – 5079 Elliott Avenue

· 6503 – 6551 Ferguson Place

· 6311 – 6352 Forest Hill Drive

· 6212 Gummow Road

· 6204 – 6212 Haker Place

· 6649 Hardy Street

· 6209 – 6265 Heighway Lane

· 6444 – 6711 Highway 97

· 5247 Inga Street

· 6400 – 6493 Keyes Avenue

· 5002 – 5414 Law Street

· 6213 – 6266 Lipsett Avenue

· 6421 – 6465 Mack Road

· 5135 – 5225 Maranatha Drive

· 5440 – 5463 McDougald Road

· 6229 – 6261 Miller Road

· 4976 – 4984 Nash Street

· 5357 – 5495 Pierce Street

· 5115 – 5253 Pineridge Road

· 6349 – 6359 Powell Road

· 4809 – 5436 Princeton Avenue

· 6226 – 6650 Renfrew Road

· 4932 – 6293 Sanderson Avenue

· 6482 – 6568 Sherburn Road

· 5203 – 5220 Silver Court

· 6404 – 6485 Stuart Crescent

· 6267 Sundstrom Court

· 5003 Thompson Drive

· 6195 – 6349 Thompson Drive

· 6691 – 6789 Thorne Road

· 6306 – 6376 Topham Place

· 6363 – 6575 Vernon Avenue

· 6203 – 6297 Whinton Crescent

· 6325 – 6391 York Lane

Residents in the area are advised to be ready to leave their homes at a moment’s notice. They should be prepared to be away from home for an extended period, make arrangements for their pets, and pack essential items such as medicines and important documents.

This is a developing story…

-with files from The Canadian Press

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