More evacuation orders — including another affecting Highway 97, which is closed to all traffic around Clinton — have been issued in connection with the Big Bar complex north and west of Clinton.
The Fiftynine Creek wildfire has prompted more evacuation orders and alerts from the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) and Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek Band). The fire, currently estimated at 16,724 hectares, has been burning northwest of Clinton since July 17.
The TNRD has expanded an evacuation order that was issued on Thursday (July 23) and which covered 193 addressed properties. The expanded order now includes an additional 87 properties: some along Highway 97 from north of Clinton to north of Chasm, and some on the west side of the fire in the Jesmond area.
An area north of Jesmond is now on evacuation alert, as is an area on both sides of Highway 97 from north of Chasm to north of 70 Mile House. A total of 171 addressed properties are now included in the alert, 66 of which are new as of July 24.
The area under evacuation order from Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation is around Copper Johnny Creek on the north end of the fire.
An Emergency Support Services (ESS) reception centre has been set up at the McArthur Island Sports Complex at 1655 Parkway in Kamloops.
In order to receive ESS support, evacuees can report to the Kamloops centre, or use the Evacuee Registration and Assistance tool at ess.gov.bc.ca. The site also contains information about the supports and services available to evacuees.
The new evacuation orders and alerts for the Fiftynine Creek fire come on top of orders and alerts issued earlier on Friday in relation to the nearby Pear Lake wildfire, which has prompted the evacuation of the nearly 600 residents of the Village of Clinton, as well as residents in TNRD Electoral Area “E.” The Pear Lake fire is estimated at 4,472 hectares.
As of the early evening of Friday, July 24, Highway 97 is closed to all traffic except evacuees between Clinton Cemetery Road and Mound Road, a distance of nearly nine kilometres which includes the Village of Clinton. A soft closure is being set up at the Highway 97/Highway 99 junction, so that residents of 16 Mile and Loon Lake can travel to and from their properties.
There is no word as to when the highway will be reopening to traffic. It will only open when conditions allow and it is safe to do so. When the highway does reopen, it could close again suddenly, with little or no notice, depending on fire behaviour.
Travellers are encouraged to seek alternative routes where possible, and to check DriveBC for information about highway closures.
The Pear Lake and Fiftynine Creek fires are two of the three fires that make up the Big Bar complex. The third fire is the French Bar Creek wildfire, burning to the west of the other two. It is currently estimated at 13,434 hectares, and there are two addressed and two unaddressed properties under evacuation order because of it. A large, remote area with no addressed properties is on evacuation alert.
For information and maps pertaining to all evacuation orders and alerts issued by the TNRD, visit the TNRD’s Emergency Operations Centre dashboard.
For information about these fires, and all others currently active in the province, visit the BC Wildfire Service website.
For current and verified information about all evacuation orders and alerts issued around B.C., visit EmergencyInfoBC.