Evacuation orders linked to British Columbia’s largest wildfire have been expanded by officials. The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District broadened an evacuation order on Saturday for an area south of the Pear Lake wildfire to include properties near Highway 99 in the Marble Canyon region. Similarly, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District also extended an evacuation order along Highway 99, west of the Highway 97 junction. These expansions now encompass nearly 200 properties across both regional districts.
Furthermore, the Ts’kw’aylaxw First Nation has issued evacuation orders for several of its reserves.
In addition to the evacuation orders, all three governments have increased evacuation alerts. The Pear Lake wildfire has scorched over 1,647 square kilometers and has damaged structures on more than 120 properties, mainly around Clinton. The fire is most active on its western and southern boundaries.
Environment Canada has issued a yellow severe thunderstorm watch for a significant portion of the B.C. Interior, Cariboo, and Metro Vancouver, with severe thunderstorm warnings issued for parts of Vancouver Island. The department advises seeking immediate cover if a thunderstorm approaches.
The B.C. Wildfire Service has cautioned about possible dry lightning strikes and high winds in the southern and central Interior, along with gusts of up to 80 kilometers per hour in certain areas with thunderstorms.
A new wildfire, sparked by lightning, was reported south of Kamloops in the Jacko Lake area on Saturday. By evening, the fire had grown to 44 hectares and was deemed “being held” by the wildfire service, indicating no expected spread beyond current boundaries. The service has dispatched 19 personnel and air crews to the scene.
Crews made significant progress on Saturday, as per the wildfire service’s update page, with ongoing efforts to establish and fortify containment lines. A Kamloops Fire Rescue team will continue working on-site overnight.
As of Saturday evening, British Columbia was dealing with more than 150 active wildfires, with close to 60 of them categorized as out of control. The provincial government extended the state of emergency related to wildfires until at least August 29 on Friday.
