Two regional districts have issued evacuation orders in response to the Pear Lake wildfire, burning approximately 20 kilometres southwest of Clinton in the B.C. Interior.
On Monday, July 20 the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) issued an evacuation order for the Downing Provincial Park day use and campground areas.
The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) has issued an evacuation order for properties between 100 and 400 Pear Lake Road, as well as for properties between 650 and 980 Pavilion-Clinton Road.
Evacuees are being directed to head north along Pavilion-Clinton Road to Clinton, where an ESS (Emergency Support Services) centre has been set up at the Clinton Memorial Hall at 306 LeBourdais Avenue. ESS Coordinator Nancy Rempel says that a crew of eight volunteers are available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily to assist evacuees.
The TNRD has also issued an evacuation alert for approximately 38 addressed properties in Electoral Area “E” (Bonaparte Plateau). The impacted areas include 6421 to 6977 Jesmond Road and 1093 to 1996 Pavilion-Clinton Road.
An evacuation alert means that residents need to be ready to leave at short notice. Gather together essential documents and items such as medication; prepare to move disabled persons, children, and/or neighbours if assistance is required; and prepare to take pets with you and to move livestock (if necessary).
If transportation assistance is required, contact the TNRD at (250) 377-7188 or the SLRD at (604) 384-7357.
The Pear Lake wildfire, at the eastern end of Pear Lake, was discovered on Friday, July 17, and is suspected to have been lightning-caused. As of the afternoon of Monday, July 20 it had grown to 30 hectares, and is burning in steep and difficult terrain.
BC Wildfire Service is responding to the fire with ground crews, aviation resources, and heavy equipment. Structure protection personnel are also responding to the incident, and are on site assessing structures and establishing fire suppression equipment.
On July 20 the Village of Clinton noted that a BC Wildfire crew would be setting up at Elliott Park — to the west of Clinton on Kelly Lake Road — in the coming days. Anyone traveling in that area should be mindful of the presence of crews and equipment.
Two other fires are burning in the same region. The Fiftynine Creek wildfire, discovered on July 17, had grown to 10,277 hectares as of the afternoon of July 20, and has prompted an evacuation order for more than 130 properties at and near Big Bar Lake. The fire is suspected to have been lightning-caused.
The French Bar Creek wildfire, discovered on July 4, had grown to 13,434 hectares as of the afternoon of July 20, and has also prompted evacuation order. The cause of this fire is under investigation.
For more information, including all evacuation alerts and orders pertaining to these fires, go to www.eoc.tnrd.ca or www.slrd.bc.ca/eoc.
For more information about the current wildfire situation, go to the BC Wildfire Service website. You can also download the free BC Wildfire app, available for all Apple and Android products.