VANCOUVER, Canada (AP) — A firefighter has been killed in a massive blaze in northeastern British Columbia, the second fatality this month in the Canadian province during this year’s record fire season. year.
A statement from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Saturday the 25-year-old Ontarian was working shortly before 11 a.m. Friday in a remote area when his large SUV overturned on a gravel road.
Police say the victim, who has not been publicly identified, was flown to Fort St. John, but died en route.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said an investigation was underway at the scene of the incident.
Provincial authorities
On July 13, Devyn Gale, 19, was killed fighting fires near Revelstoke, British Columbia, after being struck by a collapsing tree.
British Columbia Premier David Eby released a statement on Saturday saying Gale’s death shortly after Gale “affected people all over” the province and devastated the firefighting community.
“This wildfire season has been deeply horrific,” Eby said.
According to statistics from the province’s wildfire service, there are currently 363 active fires in British Columbia, with 11 new in the past 24 hours and 191 classified as out of control.
A total of 1,517 wildfires have occurred in British Columbia this year, consuming a record 5,944 square miles (15,397 square kilometers) of trees, shrubs and grass.
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