The mayor of Clinton, B.C., says he’s concerned about planned ignitions aimed at managing the massive Pear Lake wildfire that continues to threaten his community.

The burns are targeting an area between the fire’s edge and Highway 97 north of the village, B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) incident commander Bryce Moreira told a public information session on Thursday.

“This is critical work. Given the drought in the area and the extreme fire behaviour we have been seeing this is an ideal tactic to make it safe for our crews to bring the fire’s edge down to existing control lines and make it safe for our crews to mop up,” he said.

“Completing this today will allow us to work towards securing the Village of Clinton and working towards recovery and allow people to return as soon as possible.”

Speaking with CBC’s Radio West, Mayor Roland Stanke said the meeting was the first time he heard about the plan.

“I am definitely opposed to it. I have seen too many things go sideways here, wind directions can change,” he said.

“It’s way too unpredictable and with so many fires around here that create their own weather pattern, it’s just a volatile situation.”

Moreira said the burn was planned with winds and humidity in mind, and safety precautions including stop points and aircraft were in place.

In an afternoon update, the wildfire service said it had completed the operation and will complete a remaining section of planned ignition when future conditions are favourable.

Weather concerns

Wildfire officials said Wednesday that they expected fires across the province to continue to grow as wind fans flames around drought-stricken areas.

Of particular concern is the Pear Lake wildfire, roughly 20 kilometres from Clinton, B.C. — the largest active wildfire in the province at about 669 square kilometres — which has already destroyed several properties.

A total of 157 firefighters are responding to the fire, as well as 71 pieces of heavy equipment and 201 structure protection personnel. Nineteen helicopters are assigned to the Big Bar fire complex, which includes wildfires at Pear Lake, Rim Lake and French Bar Creek.

There are multiple evacuation orders in place for surrounding areas, issued by the Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation, the Village of Clinton, Whispering Pines/Clinton, the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD).

Both the TNRD and the CRD issued new evacuation orders related to the fires on Wednesday.

The District of Logan Lake also issued an evacuation alert on Wednesday for the unrelated Guichon Creek wildfire.

BCWS said Wednesday’s “light to moderate” southwesterly upper flow “will give sunny conditions and will introduce a warming and drying trend.”

It said fuels remain heavily impacted by drought and there is “potential for heightened fire behaviour tomorrow with the underlying drought conditions, especially as sunny conditions prevail.”

Since April, 797 wildfires have burned roughly 2,210 square kilometres provincewide. The Cariboo Fire Centre, where the Pear Lake fire is situated, accounts for about 1,130 square kilometres burned during that period.

There were 129 wildfires burning across the province as of 1 p.m., according to the BCWS.

The service said 19 wildfires were declared out over the previous 24 hours, while 16 new fires started during the same period.

In an email to CBC News, the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness said there were 31 evacuation orders and 32 evacuation alerts across the province as of 8 a.m. PT Wednesday, affecting roughly 1,600 and 3,000 properties, respectively.

It added that those figures may change throughout the day.

Community impact

Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation, about 40 kilometres southwest of Williams Lake, is surrounded by wildfires, including the Pear Lake fire. 

Kukpi7 Hank Adams, chief of Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation, said about 100 members are affected by evacuation orders and alerts.

“This is the first time we’ve had to actually evacuate the whole community,” Adams told CBC’s Radio West.

Adams said residents were accounted for despite spotty cell reception and power disruptions. Most had left for Williams Lake, 100 Mile House or Kamloops.

He said leaving the community also carries a sense of loss.

“Our language is formed from there. Our culture, our values, they’re all a part of it and they’re all interconnected with it,” he said.

“That’s everything they’ve known and stewarded for thousands of years. And for that to be taken away is a tough thing for anybody.”