07/27/2026
Sunday, July 26, 2026
Each fire is timestamped to its own most recent official update. They were not issued at the same hour, so read the timestamps.
Cariboo, yesterday was a brutal day and this morning brings a small reprieve, but only a small one ❤️ Two of these fires combined overnight and reached Highway 97 at Chasm. Clinton is still standing, and the people holding that line have been at it all night. Here is the honest, verified picture.
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🔴 PEAR LAKE (C40983), west of Clinton
BCWS last published July 26, 9:07 AM
19,064 hectares · Out of Control · about 11 km from Pavilion · suspected lightning · discovered July 17
BCWS reports that yesterday, July 25, the fire progressed north on the west side of Highway 97 with Rank 4 and 5 fire behaviour, meaning a highly to extremely vigorous surface fire with active crown fire and moderate to long-range spotting. The fire's column development created its own weather system, resulting in lightning over the area.
The Pear Lake and Fiftynine Creek wildfires combined and impacted Highway 97 at Chasm yesterday evening. BCWS is working with BC Hydro for necessary work along the highway corridor where it is safe to do so. The fire is very active this morning and progressing north and northeast of the Chasm area.
There is some better news in today's update. Where the fire has crossed Highway 97 east of Clinton, it is burning into an old burn scar, which is helping decrease fire activity and behaviour as fuels are sparse. Along the southeast flank where the fire is burning around the Village of Clinton, structure protection personnel and firefighting crews are focusing on structure defense and mop up. Crews are working off Highway 97 on the southeast corner of town where machine guard has been established, mopping up to extinguish the fire's edge.
BCWS also states directly: there are currently no planned ignitions being used in the Kelly Lakes Road area.
Heavy equipment resources are assessing for large containment line options throughout the day.
🏚️ There has been some structure loss in Electoral Area "E" and within the Village of Clinton. Speaking to the Ashcroft-Cache Creek Journal on Saturday afternoon, Clinton CAO Brian Doddridge said no further structure loss within the Village had been reported since that morning's assessment. He quoted Clinton Fire Chief Karl Hansen: they are still holding out and keeping the fire at bay. Damage assessments and owner notification will happen when it is safe to go in. No confirmed count has been released.
🚨 EVACUATIONS. Per BCWS today: the Thompson-Nicola Regional District has an Evacuation Order and an Evacuation Alert, and the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District has an Evacuation Order for this fire. The Village of Clinton Evacuation Order remains in effect for the whole community, covering nearly 500 addressed properties.
As of Saturday afternoon, July 25, the TNRD expanded its Evacuation Alert to approximately 436 addressed properties in Electoral Area "E", including all properties along Loon Lake Road and at Loon Lake, and properties along Highway 97 from the Highway 99 junction north to just past 20 Mile.
These boundaries have changed almost daily. Confirm your own address at eoc.tnrd.ca and EmergencyInfoBC rather than relying on any summary, including this one.
🚗 As of Saturday evening, Highway 97 remains closed between Loon Lake Road and Chasm Road, with no anticipated reopening time. Residents of the 16 Mile and Loon Lake areas can still travel to and from their properties. Check DriveBC before you travel.
📲 SUPPORT FOR EVACUEES:
Emergency Support Services reception centre: McArthur Island Sports Complex, 1655 Parkway, Kamloops.
Evacuee helpline: 1-800-387-4258
TNRD Emergency Operations Centre, including transportation assistance: 250-377-7188 or toll-free 1-866-377-7188
Village of Clinton Emergency Operations Centre: 250-377-6313
Village updates are being posted to the Village of Clinton page and through Voyent Alert.
Assigned across Pear Lake and Fiftynine Creek: 82 firefighting personnel, 57 pieces of heavy equipment, 120 structure protection personnel, 16 helicopters across the Big Bar Complex, Incident Management Team.
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🔴 FIFTYNINE CREEK (C40897), Big Bar Complex
BCWS last published July 26, 8:26 AM
29,612 hectares · Out of Control · about 14 km east of Jesmond · suspected lightning · discovered July 17
BCWS reports the fire has progressed north, jumping previously established containment lines, and is burning adjacent to Highway 97 and progressing north. Crews are working along the Meadow Lake Road progressing west for value protection where it is safe to do so.
Structure protection personnel and firefighting crews are continuing to focus on value protection ahead of expected fire growth. Due to the winds coming off the Marble Range area there has been fire growth along the west flank of the fire, visible from the Jesmond Road. Helicopters continue to drop water to slow the spread and assist in operational objectives where necessary.
BCWS has advised it will be transitioning these fire updates to encompass both fires to the Pear Lake (C40983) incident page over the coming days.
🚨 Per BCWS today: an Evacuation Alert and Evacuation Order have been issued by the Thompson-Nicola Regional District. As of Friday, July 24, the community of 70 Mile House was on Evacuation Alert due to this fire, and the Stswecem'c Xget'tem First Nation had issued an Evacuation Order in the Copper Johnny Creek area on the north end of the fire. Confirm current status at eoc.tnrd.ca and EmergencyInfoBC.
⚠️ Big Bar and Meadow Lake roads are closed for public safety. Smoke will be visible to surrounding communities and motorists on Highway 97.
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🔴 FRENCH BAR CREEK (K70748), Big Bar Complex
BCWS last published July 26, 7:11 AM
25,299 hectares · Out of Control · near Big Bar Creek · cause under investigation · discovered July 4
The fire is burning upslope in steep and rocky terrain. Fuels are a mix of grassland in areas near the Fraser River and timber in upslope and plateau areas. Honest note from BCWS: the terrain, availability of water and access to the fire are posing challenges for responders, and due to these challenges and higher priority incidents within the complex, firefighting resources have been reassigned. BCWS will continue to monitor the fire's progression and deploy structure protection to protect values.
🚨 The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has issued an Evacuation Alert and an Evacuation Order for this wildfire. Confirm your exact status at eoc.tnrd.ca and EmergencyInfoBC.
⚠️ The Churn Creek Protected Area, French Bar Creek Park and the Schraeder Lake Recreation Site are all closed.
Assigned: 15 helicopters across the Big Bar Complex, 6 structure protection personnel, Incident Management Team.
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🟠 BONANZA CREEK (K71082), Bridge River Valley
BCWS last published July 26, 9:18 AM
14,837 hectares · Out of Control · approximately 20 km north of Gold Bridge · suspected lightning · discovered July 21
The fire is burning upslope in steep terrain. BCWS reports that yesterday, July 25, crews continued to work on containment lines on the southern flank of the fire, as well as structure protection in the area.
For today, BCWS expects temperatures to lower slightly, however winds are likely to remain elevated and fire activity is expected to increase during peak burning again this afternoon.
🚨 The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District has issued an Evacuation Order and an Evacuation Alert for this wildfire, and the Cariboo Regional District has issued an Evacuation Alert. Confirm your exact status at slrd.bc.ca, cariboord.ca and EmergencyInfoBC.
⚠️ South Chilcotin Mountains Park is closed as a result of this wildfire.
Assigned: 10 firefighting personnel, two helicopters, structure protection responding.
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🟠 RILEY CREEK (K70659), south of Lillooet
BCWS last published July 26, 9:16 AM
525 hectares · Out of Control · approximately nine kilometres south of Lillooet · suspected lightning · discovered June 24
BCWS reports continued increased fire activity on this fire. It is burning upslope at high elevation in terrain BCWS describes as incredibly steep, rocky and unstable. Smoke will be observed and highly visible to surrounding communities on days where stronger winds and a rise in temperatures increase fire activity.
If you are in Lillooet and wondering why you are not seeing crews and buckets on this one, BCWS has explained it plainly, and it is worth reading in their own words:
Responder safety is the number one priority for the BC Wildfire Service, and they will not place staff in an unsafe environment. As there are currently no safe areas to anchor crews or resources, the fire is being monitored by frequent flights and continually assessed for achievable objectives. If the fire moves downslope into a more accessible area where achievable objectives are identified, crews will be placed where suppression activities can happen safely.
BCWS also addressed the aircraft question directly: the helicopters assigned to this incident are reconnaissance machines and are not actively bucketing. While aircraft are a highly visible part of wildfire response, they do not put out wildfires alone. Helicopters can support crews in many ways, for example by bucketing on hot spots to cool fire behaviour ahead of where crews are working. However, bucketing alone very rarely is enough to extinguish a fire when ground crews are not present.
Yesterday, July 25, BCWS continued assessing objectives for indirect attack. Heavy equipment continued to build control lines, personnel are assessing proactive structure protection, and danger tree assessment and falling was conducted in the area.
🚨 The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District has an Evacuation Alert in effect for this fire. Confirm your exact status at slrd.bc.ca and EmergencyInfoBC.
Assigned: three BCWS personnel, reconnaissance helicopters, heavy equipment, structure protection.
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🟡 TWO NEW FIRES NEAR LOON LAKE (C41192 and C41193)
BCWS records, both discovered July 25
C41192: 2 hectares, Out of Control, about 9 km west of Loon Lake, suspected lightning, discovered 7:30 AM July 25.
C41193: 2 hectares, Out of Control, about 8 km northwest of Loon Lake, suspected lightning, discovered 7:32 AM July 25.
Both sit inside a Thompson-Nicola Regional District Evacuation Alert area. BCWS personnel are responding with aviation support, and heavy equipment is assigned to C41192. BCWS has not published a written narrative on either fire yet, so treat these as early detections and watch for official updates.
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🌡 THE COMMON THREAD
From BCWS this morning, July 26: cooler temperatures ranging from 19 to 22 degrees and higher relative humidity around 40 to 50 per cent. While weather conditions may bring a small reprieve to fire behaviour, BCWS is still anticipating Rank 3 and 4 on these incidents throughout the day, especially where cloud cover is minimal and solar radiation can decrease the moisture in fuels. Winds will be mainly south to southwest at 12 to 15 km/h with gusts of 35 to 40. Wind combined with the underlying drought conditions will play a large factor in increasing fire behaviour. BCWS anticipates further fire growth today.
Fuels remain heavily impacted by drought throughout the area and are highly susceptible to increased fire behaviour. Fire weather indices at CWFIS stations near these fires read Extreme as of the July 25 daily observations. The drought code near Riley Creek is sitting at 999, the top of the scale, with French Bar Creek and Bonanza Creek both near 800. That is deep, long-term dryness in the heavy fuels, and it is why these fires keep running after sundown.
Cooler and damper is real, but it is not a change in the season. Read official sources, not the skyline.
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EVERYWHERE, TODAY:
🚫 Category 1, 2 and 3 open fire prohibitions are in effect across the Cariboo and Kamloops Fire Centres.
🚁 No drones. One drone grounds every aircraft on a fire.
📞 Report new smoke: 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 from a cell.
📱 Under an Order, leave now. Under an Alert, be ready.
🏠 Confirm your own address with your regional district and EmergencyInfoBC, never from a map alone.
😷 Smoke is heavy across the region. If you have breathing trouble or a heart condition, or you're caring for young children or elders, limit time outdoors and keep windows closed.
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OFFICIAL SOURCES, CHECK YOUR OWN ADDRESS HERE:
EmergencyInfoBC, all current BC emergencies
https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/
EmergencyMapBC, search your address for Order or Alert status
https://governmentofbc.maps.arcgis.com/.../index.html...
TNRD Emergency Operations Centre dashboard
https://eoc.tnrd.ca
TNRD emergency notices archive
https://www.tnrd.ca/emergency-notice/
Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, alerts and orders
https://www.slrd.bc.ca/emerge.../evacuation-alerts-orders...
Cariboo Regional District
https://www.cariboord.ca
Village of Clinton
https://village.clinton.bc.ca/
Emergency Support Services
https://ess.gov.bc.ca/
BC Wildfire Service status and fire bans
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status
DriveBC
https://www.drivebc.ca/
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LIVE SIT-REPS ON EACH FIRE:
Pear Lake: https://wildfire-info.ca/f/bc_wildfire%3AC40983
Fiftynine Creek: https://wildfire-info.ca/f/bc_wildfire%3AC40897
French Bar Creek: https://wildfire-info.ca/f/bc_wildfire%3AK70748
Bonanza Creek: https://wildfire-info.ca/f/bc_wildfire%3AK71082
Riley Creek: https://wildfire-info.ca/f/bc_wildfire%3AK70659
C41192, Loon Lake area: https://wildfire-info.ca/f/bc_wildfire%3AC41192
C41193, Loon Lake area: https://wildfire-info.ca/f/bc_wildfire%3AC41193
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To everyone from Clinton, from Chasm and Jesmond, from 70 Mile House and Loon Lake, and to the folks around Lillooet who have been watching Riley Creek since June, waking up somewhere that is not home this morning. To the families who already know they have lost something and are waiting on an assessment they cannot bring themselves to want. To the people watching Highway 97 and wondering when they can go back.
And to Clinton's fire chief and his department, to the BC Wildfire crews, the structure protection teams, the pilots and the equipment operators who spent another night standing between that fire and a town of nearly 500 homes, and kept it at bay:
We see you 🙏
Look out for your neighbours today, especially the older ones and anyone with breathing trouble. That smoke is heavy and it is hard on people.
Stay safe out there 🌲
👍 Like and share this to help spread wildfire awareness. The more people who see it, the more households get ready before the smoke does.
I'm not a fire official, I'm the developer of WildFire-Ready, a free public resource. Everything above is compiled from publicly provided official sources (BC Wildfire Service, Thompson-Nicola Regional District, Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, Cariboo Regional District, Village of Clinton, Stswecem'c Xget'tem First Nation, EmergencyInfoBC) and checked against those sources before posting. Nothing here is my own assessment, forecast or estimate. For official direction, always rely on those agencies and 911.
2 ha · near 8 km NW of Loon Lake, BC · Out. Track it live with free push alerts — get the WildFire-Ready app.
