Canada wildfire forces over 20,000 out; woman dies

More than 20,000 people have been forced from their homes by the Bald Range wildfire in British Columbia, and an 80-year-old woman died while fleeing her home.

The fire in the interior of the western Canadian province began on Friday and spread over the weekend. Officials warned that the situation could worsen because of drought-like conditions in the region more than 400 kilometers northwest of Vancouver.

The provincial government has declared a state of emergency.

In West Kelowna, one of the communities hosting displaced people, Mora Goodman said she and her husband Larry helped form a convoy with neighbours after being ordered to leave Peachland at 3:00 am. She said many residents were elderly and afraid to drive at night.

Larry Goodman said he had no indication yet that his community had been destroyed. Mora Goodman said local restaurants and civil society groups in West Kelowna had mobilized support for evacuees.

Salvation Army officer Rob Henson said migrant workers were among those affected, with some forced to leave farms where they normally work without clothing or other belongings.

Across Canada, more than 4 million hectares have burned so far this year, an area roughly the size of Switzerland. Tens of thousands of people have been forced from their homes.