{"id":853872,"date":"2026-08-11T06:50:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T06:50:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/853872\/"},"modified":"2026-08-11T06:50:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T06:50:18","slug":"b-c-wildfire-evacuees-told-to-brace-for-devastation-as-rcmp-launch-criminal-probe-national-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/853872\/","title":{"rendered":"B.C. wildfire evacuees told to brace for devastation, as RCMP launch criminal probe | National News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>PENTICTON &#8211; Heartbroken Okanagan-area officials have told wildfire evacuees to prepare themselves for the level of destruction left by a deadly blaze in B.C.&#8217;s southern Interior that police say has triggered a criminal investigation.<\/p>\n<p>The out-of-control Bald Range fire is on the outskirts of Summerland, whose mayor told the community&#8217;s 12,000 residents they would not be returning to their homes on the shores of Okanagan Lake any time soon.<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c(6 ?665 E@ 3C246 @FCD6=G6D 7@C H92E\u2019D E96C6 @C H92E\u2019D ?@E E96C6[Q D2:5 s@F8 w@=&gt;6D[ 9:D G@:46 D92&lt;:?8 H:E9 6&gt;@E:@? 2E 2 3C:67:?8 \ud83d\ude15 ?62C3J !6?E:4E@? @? |@?52J 6G6?:?8]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQxE\u2019D 8@:?8 E@ 36 92C5] xE\u2019D 8@:?8 E@ 36 C62==J 92C5] (6 2== @H A6@A=6 C:89E ?@H H9@ 92G6 =@DE 9@&gt;6D] (6 2== 92G6 7C:6?5D H9@ 92G6 =@DE 9@&gt;6D 2?5 E9@D6 A6@A=6 ?665 @FC 96=A]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 3C:67:?8 2=D@ 962C5 7C@&gt; #r|! $FAE] q6E9 |4r2?5:6[ H9@ D2:5 2 4C:&gt;:?2= :?G6DE:82E:@? 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