Accessibility links

Breaking News

Evacuation Ordered for Canadian Town as Wildfire Crosses US Border


This July 27, 2023, aerial image from the British Columbia Wildfire Service, shows smoke from the the Ross Moore wildfire south of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada.
This July 27, 2023, aerial image from the British Columbia Wildfire Service, shows smoke from the the Ross Moore wildfire south of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada.

An evacuation order for the Canadian town of Osoyoos and its surrounding district in the western province of British Columbia was issued late Saturday night due to an out-of-control wildfire that has crossed the border from the U.S. state of Washington.

Osoyoos and the regional district of Okanagan-Similkameen issued the alert, citing "potential danger to life and health."

The wildfire, called Eagle Bluff, is approximately 4 kilometers (2.49 miles) from Osoyoos and is currently estimated to be 885 hectares (2,200 acres) in size on the Canadian side of the border, according to the British Columbia Wildfire Service.

It was estimated to be around 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres) in size on the U.S. side by the BC Wildfire Service.

Osoyoos has an area population of about 6,700, according to an Osoyoos economic development website.

"There are Initial Attack crew personnel, several single resources, two helicopters, structure protection personnel and heavy equipment responding to the incident," BC Wildfire Service said Sunday.

The evacuation order covers the area north of the Canada-United States border to the intersection of Highway 97 and Highway 3, as well as west and north along Highway 3.

  • 16x9 Image

    Reuters

    Reuters is a news agency founded in 1851 and owned by the Thomson Reuters Corporation based in Toronto, Canada. One of the world's largest wire services, it provides financial news as well as international coverage in over 16 languages to more than 1000 newspapers and 750 broadcasters around the globe.

XS
SM
MD
LG