Wildfire has destroyed structures on about 120 properties near Clinton, B.C.:
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Wildfire → destroy → Clinton
The Pear Lake wildfire in B.C.'s Interior has destroyed structures — including many homes — on about 120 properties near Clinton, according to officials with the Thompson-Nicola Regional District.
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wildfire → destroy → District
- In the Okanagan, at least 200 homes are believed to have been destroyed by a wildfire near Vernon, according to the Okanagan Indian Band chief.
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homes → believe → chief
- Roughly 8,000 people across B.C. have been ordered to evacuate, while another 7,100 are being told to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
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7,100 → order → notice
- Wildfire officials are describing the conditions as "explosive and extremely dangerous."
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officials → describe → conditions
Hot temperatures and dry lightning are forecast for later this week, raising concerns that the situation could worsen.
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situation → forecast → concerns
We're closing this live page — thanks for following along.
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We → close → page
Here’s what we learned today.
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we → ’ → what
Hundreds of homes have been lost to wildfires in British Columbia.
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Hundreds → lose → Columbia
In the area around Clinton, where the massive Pear Lake fire has burned over 1,246 square kilometres, "several hundred" structures are believed to have been destroyed on about 120 properties.
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structures → burn → properties
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District said it believes that number will rise as staff are able to safely access more areas.
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staff → say → areas
Meanwhile, the Okanagan Indian Band said it believes at least 200 homes have been destroyed west of Vernon, where the Bradley Creek wildfire tore through the community amid powerful winds on Saturday.
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wildfire → say → Saturday
Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported due to the fires.
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fatalities → report → fires
The B.C. Wildfire Service warned that the province is facing an "explosive and extremely dangerous situation," with challenging weather in the forecast.
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province → warn → forecast
Temperatures in the southern Interior are expected to hit the mid-30s this week, with low humidity and the possibility for dry lightning.
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Temperatures → expect → lightning
About 8,000 people have been evacuated from their homes across B.C., while another 7,100 have been told to be ready to leave on a moment's notice.
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7,100 → evacuate → notice
The province is encouraging people to pre-register for Emergency Support Services.
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province → encourage → Services
But the province is also facing criticism for not calling a state of provincial emergency over the fire situation from both the B.C. Conservatives and the B.C. Greens.
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province → face → Conservatives
The head of provincial response and recovery operations for B.C. said the province has all the resources it needs, and doesn’t need the added powers.
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it → say → powers
As of late this afternoon there were 117 active wildfires burning across the province, nearly half of them listed as out of control.
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half → be → control
Simon LittleAround 120 properties with structure loss due to Pear Lake fire: TNRD
The Thompson Nicola Regional District is providing the first snapshot of property losses associated with the enormous Pear Lake wildfire.
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District → provide → wildfire
Spokesperson Colton Davies said conditions were safe enough to conduct damage assessments in some areas of the fire in recent days.
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conditions → say → days
He said the most heavily affected areas were near Big Bar Lake, south of Clinton in the Highway 97 area, west of Clinton around Kelly Lake Road and in the Chasm area north of the village.
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areas → say → village
What we have been able to tally is that there's about 120 properties that have had structure loss within the TNRD from the Pear Lake wildfire.
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that → tally → wildfire
We haven't been able to get all the areas that are likely affected to assess potential damages, so that number is likely to change at least somewhat in the coming days."
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number → get → days
Davies said most of those properties include a residential home.
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most → say → home
Many of them also had multiple structures affected, including secondary homes, garages and sheds, travel trailers and shipping containers, he said.
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he → have → homes
"We’re probably talking about several hundred structures in total," Davies said.
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Davies → talk → total
The assessment does not include the Village of Clinton.
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assessment → include → Clinton
The village's mayor has previously said most of the properties in the town have escaped without serious damage.
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most → say → damage
He said the district is working to notify property owners, but that the process can't be rushed and they're urging people to be patient.
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they → say → people
"We've had many calls, I’ve taken them myself: 'Did my home survive the fire? Do I have anything to go home to?'" he said.
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he → have → anything
"In some cases you are double checking and confirming with people and explaining to them that their home was lost, which is heartbreaking."
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which → check → them
Air quality warnings span southern Interior
A swath of B.C.'s southern Interior is under a yellow warning due to wildfire smoke, with Environment Canada warning that regions from the South Cariboo to South Okanagan, as well as the East Kootenay, will be affected by poor air quality for the next 24 to 48 hours.
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regions → span → hours
The federal agency is advising people in these areas to postpone or reduce strenuous activities outdoors, especially pregnant people, infants, young children and people over 65, as well as anyone who has a lung or heart condition, a chronic condition or acute illness.
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who → advise → condition
As of this afternoon, the provincial Air Quality Health Index map showed a moderate risk for parts of the southern Interior, though Environment Canada warns that smoke conditions can change from hour to hour.
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conditions → show → hour
Weather reprieve ends for crews battling Pear Lake wildfire
A period of cooler, more humid weather in the area of the province's largest wildfire is coming to an end, the B.C. Wildfire Service says.
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Service → end → end
The massive Pear Lake fire, which has burned over 1,152 square kilometres, has not grown significantly in recent days, it said.
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it → burn → days
But warm and dry conditions have returned today and are expected to drive an increase in fire activity.
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conditions → return → activity
"Winds from the north continue today before shifting back to southerlies on Wednesday," the wildfire service said in an update on its website.
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service → continue → website
…and 36 more, not listed.
