British Columbia Premier David Eby has declared a state of emergency as a wildfire continues to rage near Summerland, destroying homes, leaving some rural homeowners stranded amid the flames and forcing tens of thousands of others to flee Okanagan beachside communities.

The fires are a “very dynamic” situation and were like a bomb going off in the Summerland region, Eby said during a Saturday news conference. He said the top priority was protecting lives on what he called an “unimaginable day.”

“What we have seen in the last 24 hours is a steep change and a significant departure in terms of fire behaviour in the province,” he said.

The Bald Range wildfire was first reported at 4:29 p.m. Friday, but it roared in size, burning 50 square kilometres in a few hours, raining ash on Summerland and raging so swiftly that fighters had to recalibrate their strategies.

By Saturday morning the fire had nearly doubled again, growing to 95 square kilometres.