On this day in 2003 the Okanagen Fire started in the interior of BC. By the time this interface fire  was over over 30,000 people have been  affected and over 200 homes destroyed. This fire created one of the largest evacuations in Canadian history. The final size of the fire was over 225 square kilometers or 61,000 acres. ARES units from around the Province participated along with 60 fire departments, 1400 members of the Canadian  Armed Forces and over 1,000 forest fire fighters..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_Okanagan_Mountain_Park_Fire