By Canadian Press

Canadian Press NewsAlert: State of emergency called in B.C. over growing wildfires.

Jul 20, 2021 | 2:33 PM

VANCOUVER — British Columbia’s public safety minister has declared a provincial state of emergency over the growing wildfire threat. 

Mike Farnworth says he made the decision based on information from officials that weather conditions will lead to more severe fire behaviour and the potential for more evacuations. 

Farnworth says the declaration will address the potential for a mass evacuation scenario and provide the government with the means to secure accommodation to support evacuees. 

He says he wants to assure B.C. residents that the province is deploying all available personnel and equipment to fight the fires. 

Nearly 300 fires are burning across the province, including several of them that are encroaching on communities that have issued evacuation orders or alerts. 

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