Kelowna, British Columbia
A forest fire with flames 400 feet high raced toward the town of Kelowna in British Columbia last week, forcing 30,000 people to evacuate their homes. It was the quickest major evacuation in Canada’s history, and the largest. The Okanagan Mountain forest fire burned so hot it caused houses to explode, and reduced entire blocks in one suburb to flat, smoldering ruins. At its peak, the wildfire advanced 100 yards per minute. It destroyed 250 homes before shifting winds slowed it down. “The devastation is incredible,” said Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, who inspected the damage from the air.
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