In a dramatic turn of events, a ferocious wildfire described as exploding “like a bomb” has compelled tens of thousands of Canadians to flee their homes.

As the Bald Range fire wreaked havoc, aircraft were called in to rescue dozens of residents, while countless others faced gridlocked roads in a desperate bid to outrun the inferno.

Since it ignited on Friday, the blaze has scorched an area spanning at least 53 square miles across British Columbia.

According to the BC Wildfire Service, the fire has doubled in size, now threatening the communities of Summerland, Peachland, and additional regions within the province.

In response to the escalating crisis, Premier David Eby declared a state of emergency on Saturday as the province grappled with over 100 wildfires blazing across the area.

He described the Bald Range blaze as ‘like a bomb going off in the Summerland region’ which tore across 2,000 acres in roughly an hour.

The fire created its own weather system sparking lightning strikes and sending flames up to 200 feet high.

Officials said the blaze began around 5.30pm on Friday but have yet to determine its cause.

All 12,000 residents of Summerland and another 8,000 people in and around Peachland were ordered to evacuate. The communities are about 250 miles east of Vancouver. 

Eby’s office said there had been ‘significant structure loss’ but said officials had not assessed the damage because the area remained an active fire zone.

‘Conditions are extremely dangerous and changing minute by minute,’ Eby said. ‘The fires are moving incredibly quickly.’

The premier added that some residents had become trapped as the fire grew and that search-and-rescue crews continued searching for others who may have been caught in its path.

BC Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said more than 50 people were rescued by 18 aircraft.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police also said they were investigating a possible wildfire-related death near Summerland but were unable to confirm a fatality because of the dangerous conditions.

The BC Wildfire Service said on Sunday morning that the blaze was showing signs of possibly rank six behavior which is the highest level a fire can reach.

Erick Thompson, an emergency official with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, had been providing updates on the fire from an emergency operations center before he was forced to evacuate his own family.

The devastating fire comes weeks after President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Canada over wildfire smoke that choked US cities in July.

‘We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their forests and brush,’ the president wrote on Truth Social.

The US is being ‘invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous and totally unacceptable,’ Trump added.

Fires that have been blazing in Canada’s Ontario province have caused massive plumes of smoke to blanket much of the eastern United States.

Those plumes reached major US cities, including Washington, DC, and New York City, on Thursday evening.

Trump has repeatedly sought to put pressure on Canada through tariffs during his second term.

The Daily Mail has reached out to the BC Wildfire Service, the RCMP, the BC Ministry of Forests, and Premier David Eby’s office for comment. 

Israel has bolstered its naval capabilities with the recent arrival of its cutting-edge submarine, the most sophisticated and costly vessel it has acquired from Germany. This strategic addition comes as regional tensions continue to rise, as per reported sources.

The introduction of the INS Drakon is poised to dramatically enhance Israel’s naval warfare and intelligence-gathering potential under the sea, according to a report by The Algemeiner. Initially slated for delivery by 2025, the advanced warship’s arrival ahead of schedule marks a significant strategic step for the nation’s defense forces.

During its christening ceremony in Kiel in 2024, a statement highlighted that the INS Drakon belongs to the Dolphin AIP class and is outfitted with cutting-edge technologies. These innovations greatly extend the Israeli Defense Forces’ operational reach across multiple theaters of conflict.

Constructed by Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) for the Israeli Navy, the submarine plays a crucial role in fortifying a sea-based defense strategy. In the current geopolitical climate involving the conflict with Iran, defense experts underscore its importance for deterrence and retaliatory measures.

Dr. Ehud Eilam, a renowned Israeli national security specialist and former defense ministry researcher, stressed to News Media the critical nature of sustaining a relentless underwater presence for Israel’s continued security and autonomy.

“Some of them would have to be at sea, on high alert, around the clock, if Iran suddenly attacked Israel in such a way that would cripple the IDF, including its strategic capabilities,” Eilam said.

“In such a drastic scenario, Israel’s submarine/s that would be at sea could respond,” he added.

“Israel’s other submarines might be in Haifa harbor at the time. They might be attacked and unable to operate. This demonstrates how important it is to always have submarines at sea.”

TKMS reportedly handed over the INS Drakon—the sixth Dolphin-class vessel and third modified Dolphin II-class submarine in Israel’s fleet—at its shipyard in Kiel, Germany, in late July.

Measuring more than 70 meters (230 feet) in length with a displacement exceeding 2,000 tons, the vessel is reported to be the largest submarine constructed in Germany since World War II, carrying an estimated price tag of $634 million, according to The Algemeiner.

According to Israeli outlet Ynet , Israel’s Dolphin-class fleet also provides the nation with a critical sea-based second-strike capability in its defense program.

“Everything is going according to plan with the new program for Israel,” TKMS CEO Oliver Burkhard told Ynet Global.

“That also applies to the handover of the last boat of the previous series, including the homecoming in Israel,” he said of the expansive submarine program.

The INS Drakon’s arrival comes as Israel projects increasing military power across distant operational theaters, Eilam said.

“Israel has been acquiring submarines for several purposes. One of them is for deterrence and retribution, such as if Iran manages to develop nuclear weapons,” Eilam said before adding that “Israel has to be ready.”

While submarines on active deployment carry out intelligence and reconnaissance missions across the Mediterranean Sea, their primary objective remains readiness for “doomsday scenarios,” Eilam noted.

“Israel’s new submarine is bigger than others, which suggests Israel wants to have more options, such as increasing the range of the submarine’s missiles so they can reach every target in Iran, even if the Israeli submarine is in the Mediterranean Sea,” Eilam said.

“That way the submarine does not have to get closer to Iran, which requires crossing the Suez Canal, and this could be very risky, if not impossible in some situations,” he added. “The other alternative is to bypass all of Africa, which would take a long time.”

The new submarine was named INS Drakon (Dragon) — a mythical sea creature symbolizing strength, uniqueness and power — was chosen because it contains the Hebrew letters ד׳, ק׳, ר׳ (Dakar), thus commemorating the legacy of the submarine INS Dakar and its crew, the Ministry of Defense said.

News Media has reached out to the Israeli Navy, the Ministry of Defense, TKMS and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment.

Aubrey Plaza is embracing motherhood!

The beloved “Parks and Recreation” star recently welcomed her first child with partner Christopher Abbott.

Paparazzi caught a glimpse of the new mom cradling her newborn in New York City last Sunday. The outing came after what was reportedly Abbott’s final appearance in Broadway’s acclaimed production, “Death of a Salesman.” According to TMZ, insiders revealed that Plaza gave birth to a baby girl in the final days of July.

Plaza first shared her pregnancy with the world in April, just a day after People magazine announced she was expecting and scheduled to welcome her baby in the fall.

“They feel very blessed,” an insider mentioned at the time, describing the addition to their family as “a beautiful surprise after an emotional year.”

Plaza, notably, lost estranged husband Jeff Baena in January 2025.

The former couple had been separated for four months when the director died by suicide at age 47.

Plaza and Baena’s family released a joint statement in the wake of the “unimaginable tragedy,” reading, “We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.”

The comedian opened up about her “daily struggle” on Amy Poehler’s “Good Hang” podcast seven months later.

“Right in this very very present moment, I feel happy to be with you,” she told the host in August 2025. “Overall, I’m here and I’m functioning.”

Plaza went on to compare her grief to a “giant ocean of just awfulness.”

She explained, “Sometimes I just want to dive into it and be in it. And sometimes I look at it and sometimes I just try to get away from it, but it’s always there.”

The Emmy nominee credited her “funny friends” with still being able to make her “laugh really, really hard” while navigating the tragedy.

The “White Lotus” alum married Baena in May 2021, with the duo spontaneously tying the knot in tie-dye pajamas after a decade together.

It is unclear when she began dating Abbott.

Plaza and the “Girls” alum, 40, have acted together in the “Black Bear” film and the “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea” Off-Broadway production in 2020 and 2023, respectively.

Abbott broke his silence on his girlfriend’s pregnancy in a May “Today” show interview, calling it a “very exciting” development.

Prior to Plaza, the actor dated his “Katie Says Goodbye” co-star Olivia Cooke between 2015 and 2020.

Aubrey Plaza recently made her first public appearance with her newborn, catching the attention of onlookers as she tenderly held the baby close.

On a sunny Sunday, the 42-year-old actress was seen embracing her little one during a family outing in New York City. It marks a new chapter in her life with partner Christopher Abbott, aged 40, as they welcomed their first child together.

Dressed for the warm weather, Plaza opted for a casual look, sporting a black tank top and sunglasses, as she ventured out into the bustling Manhattan streets with their child.

Her day included a stop at the Winter Garden Theatre, where she supported Abbott during the last show of his Broadway, “Death of a Salesman.”

Just two weeks earlier, Plaza was photographed showcasing her baby bump as she enjoyed a leisurely stroll in New York City on July 26.

It is the first child for both Plaza and Abbott. The White Lotus star first confirmed her pregnancy in April. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Plaza’s reps for comment. 

In the days since she welcomed her baby, she dressed for comfort, wearing baggy jeans and black, slip-on sneakers.

Plaza had a smile on her face and was a doting, new mom as she attentively watched a family member, who also took turns holding her baby.

The Parks and Recreation alum showed off her natural beauty and radiant glow as she stepped out sans makeup and with her dark tresses pulled back in carefree, high ponytail. 

At the time, she spoke about becoming a first-time mother over a year since she became estranged from her late husband Jeff Baena.

Baena died by suicide in January 2025. Plaza and the screenwriter had been separated since September 2024, an LA County Medical Examiner’s autopsy report obtained by DailyMail.com revealed. 

When asked if she was ‘excited’ about taking on motherhood on The View in April, she gushed: ‘I am. Yeah, I’ve always wanted to see what that’s all about, you know?’ 

People first confirmed Plaza was pregnant with her first child in April and said she was due to give birth in the fall.  

‘It was a beautiful surprise after an emotional year,’ a source told the publication at the time. 

The couple, who previously starred on Broadway together before falling in love, are said to be feeling ‘very blessed.’

Plaza’s partner Abbott is best known for playing the on-off boyfriend of Allison Williams’s character Marnie on Lena Dunham’s influential HBO comedy Girls. 

Plaza and Abbott worked together in 2019 on the indie psychological drama Black Bear, in which both actors played dual roles as actors and directors trying to shoot a film in an eerie, isolated lake house. 

The low-budget thriller premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2020 to critical acclaim, with several reviewers singling it out as one of Plaza’s best performances to date. 

In 2023, the pair collaborated together again — this time on stage — in the Off Broadway revival of John Patrick Shanley’s play Danny And The Deep Blue Sea, which ran until January 2024.