Two wildfires near Clinton, British Columbia, have merged into a single blaze spanning nearly 670 square kilometres, as evacuation orders expand and crews battle aggressive fire behaviour amid persistent drought. The Pear Lake and Fiftynine Creek fires combined late Saturday, forcing authorities to issue new alerts for surrounding communities, including 70 Mile House, where residents must prepare to leave by Monday morning.
Firefighters battle merged blaze near Clinton
The BC Wildfire Service confirmed the fires’ merger on Sunday, noting the combined blaze remained "very active" as it moved north and northeast of the Chasm area, roughly 20 kilometres from Clinton. Fire information officer Shae Stearns reported crews were still engaged in ground firefighting, though fire behaviour near Clinton had decreased from its earlier intensity. "There’s no longer the head of a fire progressing toward Clinton," she said, "but there’s still quite a lot of ground to cover."
Highway 97 has been impacted, with flames crossing the road and requiring repairs. On the east side of the highway, the fire’s advance slowed as it entered an area previously scorched by wildfires, though Stearns warned that drought conditions—even with cooler temperatures—continued to fuel aggressive fire behaviour. "The fuels are still very dry," she said, adding that significant rain was not expected in the region, located about 350 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.
Evacuations and structural losses reported
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District announced an evacuation order for 70 Mile House and surrounding areas, set to take effect at 10 a.m. Monday due to the Pear Lake wildfire. Meanwhile, a local business owner, Steve Larabie, said his towing and autobody shop—located three kilometres south of Clinton—was destroyed, along with two homes. "There were about 3,000 vehicles and 50 pieces of equipment at the business," Larabie said, describing flames engulfing vehicles and equipment as gas and diesel exploded.
While Clinton itself was largely spared, officials confirmed structural losses on the outskirts of the village on Friday. Across B.C., the wildfire service reported 31 evacuation orders and 28 alerts in effect as of Sunday, primarily in the central and southern Interior. The French Bar Creek fire, part of the Big Bar complex, continued to burn at roughly 250 square kilometres to the northwest of the merged blaze.
Crews gain ground in some areas as reinforcements arrive
In the Central Okanagan, an evacuation alert for over 500 properties in the La Casa area north of West Kelowna was lifted Sunday after crews re-established a perimeter around the fire, reporting no further spread. However, the Brunswick complex of fires in the Fraser Canyon—spanning more than 355 square kilometres—kept Boston Bar and surrounding areas under evacuation orders. The wildfire service noted the Brunswick and Ainslie Creek blazes were moving south along the Fraser Canyon but not growing significantly.
Reinforcements from Yukon, Alberta, and Mexico are expected to arrive in the coming days to assist with roughly 140 active wildfires across the province. While some areas saw temporary relief from rain and cooler temperatures over the weekend, much of B.C. remains under drought conditions, limiting long-term fire suppression efforts. Authorities urge residents in affected regions to monitor updates and prepare for potential evacuations.
