Pear Lake and French Bar Creek wildfires expand in B.C. Interior; evacuation orders downgraded
The Big Bar complex now covers 224,248 hectares combined with 476 firefighters and 21 helicopters assigned.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bonaparte First Nation downgraded evacuation orders to alerts for two of its reserves on Sunday as the Pear Lake wildfire, burning near Clinton, remained out of control but showed signs of stabilization.
IR 1 and IR 2 on Highway 99 near Hat Creek Road were placed on evacuation order on August 11 and downgraded to evacuation alert as of 3 p.m. Sunday, meaning the fire still poses a potential risk but conditions had improved enough to reduce the alert level. Residents should stay prepared in case conditions change. Evacuation alerts for IR 3 and IR 4 were rescinded entirely and downgraded to all clear.
As of Sunday, the Pear Lake fire was estimated at 164,740 hectares. The nearby French Bar Creek wildfire, to the west of Pear Lake, covered 59,508 hectares. Together, the two fires form the Big Bar complex, which has 21 helicopters, 476 firefighting personnel, 89 structure protection personnel, and 120 pieces of heavy equipment assigned.
Overnight precipitation and increased humidity on Saturday and into Sunday morning helped reduce fire activity. However, a warming and drying trend is expected to begin Monday, which could increase fire behaviour. Highway 99 remains open to traffic near Pavilion Lake, but no stopping is allowed.
Crew work continues on multiple flanks. South of Pavilion Mountain, crews completed machine guard and will continue bolstering these lines in coming days. Ignition plans have been developed for the south flank north of Highway 99 to remove fuel between the main fire and established control lines. On the northwest flank around Canoe Creek, Meadow Lake, and Riley Lake, crews have installed sprinkler lines and are suppressing fires and mopping up hotspots. At Jesmond, crews are working around the perimeter to extinguish hotspots and reduce future growth potential.
On Sunday afternoon, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District downgraded an evacuation order covering two properties at 7129 and 7140 Empire Valley Road to an evacuation alert. An evacuation order remains in place for 10 addressed properties within the French Bar Creek fire's area.
When does the BC Wildfire Service expect the Pear Lake and French Bar Creek fires to be contained?
How many properties in total remain under evacuation order across the Big Bar complex area?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
By the numbers
How big is the Big Bar wildfire complex?
The Big Bar complex covers 224,248 hectares combined, consisting of the Pear Lake fire at 164,740 hectares and the French Bar Creek fire at 59,508 hectares.
How many firefighters and helicopters are assigned to the Big Bar complex?
The Big Bar complex has 476 firefighting personnel and 21 helicopters assigned, along with 89 structure protection personnel and 120 pieces of heavy equipment.
When were evacuation orders downgraded for Bonaparte First Nation reserves?
On Sunday, August 23, 2026, Bonaparte First Nation downgraded evacuation orders to alerts for IR 1 and IR 2 near Hat Creek Road, which had been placed on evacuation order on August 11. Evacuation alerts for IR 3 and IR 4 were rescinded entirely.
