One hundred Mexican firefighters arrived in British Columbia on Monday to reinforce the battle against a wildfire burning on the shores of Okanagan Lake that has forced 20,000 people from their homes and claimed the life of an 80-year-old woman. The reinforcements join what BC Wildfire Service operations director Hugh Murdoch described as a "monumental task" against a fire that has grown to 156 square kilometres while advancing toward Summerland.
Crews are engaged in what Murdoch called "a true fire fight" complicated by steep terrain, extreme heat and spotting that has sparked new outbreaks beyond the established perimeter. Those conditions have limited opportunities for direct attack on the flames. The fire erupted Friday and has since destroyed numerous homes and razed most of the tiny community of Faulder, though official damage assessments remain incomplete due to dangerous conditions.
Criminal investigation launched
The RCMP have opened a criminal investigation into the cause of the blaze. The death occurred in Meadow Valley, west of Summerland, as the woman attempted to flee. Authorities have not released further details about the investigation or the circumstances of the fatality.
Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes told a briefing Monday that the community's 12,000 residents will not return home soon. His voice broke as he urged residents to prepare for what they will find in the evacuation zone. "We need to brace ourselves for what's there or what's not there. It's gonna be hard. It's gonna be really hard," he said. "We all know people right now who have lost homes. We all have friends who have lost homes and those people need our help."
Broader fire situation across British Columbia
The BC Wildfire Service warned of high potential for lightning-caused starts across the central Interior and the Okanagan. Approximately 100 fires are currently burning across the province, with roughly half classified as out of control. The Mexican contingent arrives under a long-standing resource-sharing agreement between the two countries that has seen Canadian firefighters deployed to Mexico in previous seasons.
Based on reporting by Global News.