[HN] British Columbia declares a state of emergency amid devastating wildfires

This is the best summary I could come up with:

British Columbia has declared a state of emergency as Canada’s worst wildfire season in modern history tears through swaths of the western province, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes.

“We are facing the worst wildfire season in our province’s history,” British Columbia’s Premier David Eby said at a news conference Friday evening.

As emergency services warned that wind might “worsen wildfire conditions and possible new fire starts,” photos showed flames on hillsides near Okanagan Lake.

The warnings in British Columbia were issued after residents of Yellowknife, farther north, evacuated by road and by air under an order for the entire capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories — more than 20,000 people — to flee a wildfire nearing the city.

In a summer of record heat around the world, soaring temperatures intensified by climate change and coupled with existing drought conditions have heightened the severity of Canada’s wildfire season this year.

In British Columbia, officials have reported record-challenging temperatures and dry air masses, exacerbating drought conditions and heightening the risk of wildfires.

The original article contains 527 words, the summary contains 172 words. Saved 67%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!