B.C. wildfire situation 'explosive and extremely dangerous,' official says as thousands forced from homes

B.C. wildfires force thousands from homes amid 'explosive and extremely dangerous' conditions

'Really quite scary': What it's like fleeing wildfires in B.C.'s Okanagan

Former federal environment minister Catherine McKenna said the wildfires burning across Canada are clear evidence of a climate emergency.

She said new temperature records are being set every year, and pointed to Europe, where wildfires are also raging, to highlight that the problem is global.

"It's because we are in a fossil fuel climate crisis. The burning of fossil fuels is what's causing this," she told CBC News.

McKenna said unless greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, the problem will only get worse.

She said that means shifting to wind and solar power together with batteries, technology that has become dramatically more affordable in recent years.

Business owners in Vernon say they’re doing their best to support people fleeing the fires.

David Scarlatescu, the owner of The Fig Bistro in Vernon, posted on social media Saturday that he will be offering free food and drinks to evacuees and front-line workers. He said his first customers on Sunday got a call while they were waiting to order and learned that their home had burned down.

He said offering food is the least he can do.

Last Saturday, Wayne Jones and Karen Royston left their home in Newport Beach in Okanagan Indian Band territory with just the clothes on their backs. The Bradley Creek fire was closing in and they had to get out fast. They’ve since learned their house burned down.

"It's devastating … We don't know what's going to happen, so, you know, when you're at our age, you don't — you know, what are we going to do now?" said Jones.

The couple is staying with family until they figure out what to do.

Ron Cartmell, a major with the Salvation Army, has been distributing coffee, water and other supplies outside the Emergency Support Services reception centre in Vernon.

He said emotions are running high, with some evacuees getting the devastating news their homes are gone, while others are dealing with the anxiety of not knowing.

"Sometimes you pass out a bottle of water and all of a sudden the tears come, and they just need somebody to tell their story to," Cartmell told CBC News.

"But it is challenging. Especially the uncertainty. You know, is my house there? When do I get to go back? When do I at least find out for sure? So, at least emotionally, it's just exhausting."

Cartmell said people have been dropping off supplies like water and granola bars, but his team has been overwhelmed and doesn't have the resources to take any more donations.

He said the best way people can help is by making financial donations, so groups can put the money where it's most useful.

I’ve been in Vernon for two days.

It’s hot here and so dry that when you step on the grass you can hear it crunching under your feet. Temperatures are expected to be in the 30s today.

From town, you can see burned trees and smoke in the distance from the Bradley Creek wildfire.

Many evacuees have been directed to emergency centres here or in West Kelowna. We spoke to a few who are worried they won’t have anything to return to.

B.C. fire evacuee says process was 'totally disorganized'

One man forced out of his home by wildfires in British Columbia told CBC News over the weekend that he and his family considered themselves lucky because they had a friend to take them in temporarily.

Other evacuees, like Parris McGill, arrived at Kal Tire Place without a place to sleep. McGill was there with his wife, son, two grandchildren and pets. With so many people looking for a place, not everyone could be accommodated on that first night. McGill bunked with a friend for the night, but many evacuees spent at least one night in their cars.

I’m the executive producer for CBC News in the B.C. Interior and am based in Kelowna.

The B.C. Day weekend was, for many in the Okanagan, the long weekend they never wanted.

I was at Kal Tire Place in Vernon, which quickly became the evacuation centre that hundreds went to when the Bradley Creek wildfire got too close to their homes.

Some, like Denise Harper and her husband, pulled their trailer into the parking lot and were prepared to spend the night or longer there. Harper lives in a community called Desert Cove in Spallumcheen, where all 800-plus residents had about 20 minutes to get ready and leave.

That’s it for this provincial update on the wildfire and drought situation.

Officials conclude by thanking wildfire crews on the ground and communities that have stepped up to host and help evacuees.

British Columbians across the province are also being urged to pre-register for Emergency Support Services as a precaution, even if their community isn’t currently under threat.

Chapman summed up the current season's conditions in one sentence: "It is an explosive and extremely dangerous situation in B.C."

He added that the province has “never seen fuel dryness the way we are seeing it right now."

Chapman responded to allegations that bureaucratic holdups are slowing down fire response.

“I just want to dispel this idea that we are waiting for someone in Victoria or Kamloops to give the green light,” he said.

“We give our people on the ground the ability to make decisions on the ground, and their first and foremost thought is how do I protect the humans.”

He says that includes ensuring the safety of both first responders and evacuees before moving on to structure defence.