An 80-year-old woman died while fleeing the Bald Range wildfire near Summerland on Friday night.
Penticton RCMP said the Meadow Valley resident was attempting to leave her home with one member of her family when she reportedly died suddenly.
Police believe her death to be a result of the wildfire, officers stated in a release.
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“This wildfire has been a deeply traumatic event for all those in the region. Our thoughts are with this family, who are now grappling with the loss of their loved one,” Supt. Beth McAndie, officer in charge of the Penticton South Okanagan Similkameen Regional RCMP detachment, said in a release.
“Officers are working closely and providing full supports to the impacted family, who are asking for privacy at this time.”
The BC Coroner’s Service is now investigating.
The Bald Range fire, which sparked on Friday night, is now an estimated 13,618.2 hectares in size and has forced five evacuation orders and four evacuation alerts.
Homes and structures have reportedly been destroyed by the fire, which grew quickly and aggressively.
