As nearby evacuation measures expand, Clinton residents remains calm

The BC Wildfire Service set up just outside Clinton, where crews are stationed for both the Pear Lake and Fiftynine Creek wildfires. Sixty-five ground personnel along with 15 helicopters are battling the complex with assistance from heavy equipment building fire guard and structural protection units.

“[Thursday, the BCWS has] recommended further expansion of those. The expansion for today is further to the west and north of the Fiftynine Creek fire, so around the Little Big Bar Lake area,” said TNRD Operations Manager Jamie Vieira. “Not a huge populated area but there are some residents there and some recreation properties that are moving to evacuation order today.”

That expansion was issued just after 12:00 p.m. Thursday.

In addition to alerts for the village, residents being asked to conserve water.

“We took a drive up to our upper reservoir and lower reservoir here on Monday just to check things out,” said Stanke. “Things are low but not of major concern but we put on extreme water restrictions because we want to conserve as much water as possible, if the fire does get here that there is ample water to fight it.”

Greg came to town just two days ago to help his brother-in-law back home from hospital. That reunion however now on hold till the alert is rescinded.

“Just uncertainty, I guess. Everybody is anxious. We have a community meeting tonight so we will get some more directions on what is going on and how to prepare for the next steps,” Greg told CFJC News.

The complex has burned more than 100 square kilometers.

“Just get things going and put people at ease,” said Stanke of the community meeting Thursday night. “Stay calm, get yourself organized, figure out what you are going to do, where you are going to go and what you are going to take, just in case.”

by Michael Reeve

As nearby evacuation measures expand, Clinton residents remains calm

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