British Columbia’s wildfire service says two fires threatening the village of Clinton, B.C., and the surrounding area have combined, affecting a stretch of Highway 97.
An update from the service says the Pear Lake and Fiftynine Creek blazes merged late Saturday and remained “very active” the next morning, moving north and northeast of the Chasm area, about 20 kilometres north of Clinton.
Where the fire has crossed the highway, the service notes the flames are moving into an area already scarred by wildfire, helping to moderate its activity.
Crews remain in Clinton, which was largely spared as the flames advanced late Friday, though some structures were destroyed, including homes.
Steve Larabie says he and his family “lost everything,” including their two homes and Larabie’s towing and autobody business about three kilometres south of town.
To the east, the Central Okanagan emergency management centre has issued an evacuation alert for residents of more than 500 properties in the La Casa area north of West Kelowna, B.C., due to a nearby wildfire discovered Saturday.
An update from the centre says significant progress had been made fighting the blaze, but residents would continue to see flames and smoke.
The BC Wildfire Service says in its provincial situation report on Sunday that some areas have seen rain and cooler temperatures this weekend, providing temporary relief, but much of B.C. remains wracked by drought, with limited rain.
It notes personnel from Yukon Protective Services, Alberta Wildfire and Mexico are set to arrive in B.C. over the coming days to aid in the fight against about 140 active blazes throughout the province.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2026.
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