VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — British Columbia declared a state of emergency Saturday after a fast-moving wildfire destroyed homes and forced more than 20,000 people to flee communities along Okanagan Lake in western Canada , with dozens rescued by aircraft. The speed of the fire forced even emergency officials to flee. British Columbia Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said 18 firefighting aircraft rescued more than 50 people. Cliff Chapman, the British Columbia Wildfire Service’s director of operations, called conditions “explosive” and warned that other communities could face similarly fast-moving fires. British Columbia Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene said the state of emergency gives the province additional powers, including the ability to restrict travel and secure accommodations for evacuees that might otherwise be unavailable.