Canada, July 19: Thousands of Canadians have been ordered to evacuate their homes after wildfire spread through a residential area in the country’s west.
Officials said on Sunday that the fire erupted in west of Kelowna, British Columbia, Saturday afternoon.
The British Columbia Forest Service reported that 4,500 homes have been ordered to evacuate and over 10,000 people have been displaced.
No injuries or deaths have been reported, although at least nine houses have been destroyed so far.
Windy weather and dry conditions in the area had fueled the blaze, according to authorities.
More than 150 firefighters were battling the flames on the ground, with support from helicopters and air tankers.
The Kelowna area was also hit by forest fires in 2003, with more than 240 homes destroyed before crews were able to bring the blazes under control.
—–Agencies