Pear Lake wildfire forces evacuations and limits aviation in British Columbia

The Pear Lake wildfire in British Columbia has expanded to over 126,000 hectares, becoming one of the province's largest fires in two decades. Dense smoke from the blaze has reduced visibility to as low as a quarter mile, prompting the BC Wildfire Service to restrict aviation operations and require at least one mile of visibility for safe flights. Earlier in the week a BCWS helicopter crashed while responding to the fires, leaving the pilot hospitalized.

The High Bar First Nation issued an evacuation order for its reserve lands, citing threats to culturally significant sites, salmon fishing grounds on the Fraser River, and the risk of unauthorized activity. Band officials are coordinating with the BC Wildfire Service, the Village of Clinton, the Thompson‑Nicola Regional District, and provincial minister of forests Ravi Parmar on response and recovery plans. About 100 additional firefighters and support staff from Mexico have been deployed to assist the effort, joining the 474 firefighting personnel already on the ground.

The fire’s extreme behaviour is driven by high temperatures, low humidity, and abundant fuel, with winds remaining light. The BCWS continues to monitor the fire’s movement toward Riley Lake and the Fraser River while managing nearby Rim Lake and French Bar Creek fires.