Officials have broadened evacuation directives concerning the largest wildfire in British Columbia. The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District recently expanded an evacuation order to encompass properties near Highway 99 in the Marble Canyon area, south of the Pear Lake wildfire. Simultaneously, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District extended an evacuation order along Highway 99, to the west of the Highway 97 junction. These extensions now impact nearly 200 properties in total.
Moreover, the Ts’kw’aylaxw First Nation has issued evacuation orders for several reserves. Evacuation alerts have also been expanded by all three governing bodies.
According to the B.C. Wildfire Service, the Pear Lake wildfire has engulfed over 1,647 square kilometers and has caused structural damage to more than 120 properties, predominantly in the vicinity of Clinton. The fire is most actively spreading on its western and southern perimeters.
As of Saturday, there were close to 130 active wildfires throughout British Columbia, with 45 of them labeled as out of control. The provincial state of emergency related to wildfires has been extended by the B.C. government until at least August 29.