This handout still image from a video shot on July 25, 2026, shows the smouldering aftermath of the Pear Lake wildfire that swept towards Clinton, B.C., a day earlier. The Canadian Press/Handout — Facebook, Joey Johnson
Conservation officers in British Columbia discovered numerous illegal campfires during spot checks over the weekend, as wildfire crews battle out-of-control blazes that are threatening communities in the south of the province.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service said in a statement on social media on Monday that it issued 19 violation tickets and almost $22,000 in fines.
“Claiming you didn’t know about the campfire ban is not an acceptable excuse,” it said.
Campfire bans are in place in the Cariboo, Kamloops and Southeast fire centres, and parts of coastal B.C., while bans on larger fires cover almost all other areas.
The crackdown came as authorities in the Village of Clinton, B.C., about 350 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, were assessing damage after residents were forced to flee their homes last week in the face of a fire complex that has prompted expanding evacuation orders.
Mayor Roland Stanke said in a social media post on Monday that people whose properties suffered damage would be contacted personally, while fire crews in the community continued to stamp out smouldering embers to prevent flare-ups.
The Pear Lake and Fiftynine Creek fires merged over the weekend to span nearly 670 square kilometres in the latest estimate from the BC Wildfire Service.
The blaze is among about 135 active fires across B.C., with more than 50 burning out of control.
Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said the province welcomed 25 firefighting personnel from the Yukon on Monday to help fight the blazes.
Jean Strong with BC Wildfire Service said another 66 personnel from Alberta were set to arrive Tuesday, and about 200 from Mexico would arrive next week.
The service said in an update Tuesday that winds were expected to strengthen in the Clinton area with gusts at speeds of 50 to 60 kilometres per hour.
Temperatures were expected to be around 17 to 21 C with relative humidity between 30 and 40 percent.
“With this weather outlook extreme fire behaviour is expected (Tuesday) and significant growth on these incidents is possible,” the service said.
The Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation issued an evacuation order for some properties Monday due to the fire near Clinton.
As of Tuesday, there were six evacuation orders and three evacuation alerts associated with the fire complex in the area.
Stanke, the mayor, said in his post that people who have defied the evacuation order in Clinton would have to boil their water, since a reservoir bypass has allowed untreated water to be used to fight the flames.
He said BC Hydro crews were also assessing damage before power could be restored in the village, which has about 650 residents.
