CANADA VIBES NEWSROOM · EVENING EDITION — July 29, 2026, 7:00 p.m. ET

The Pear Lake and Fiftynine Creek fires, which merged late last week north of Clinton, continue to spread north and northeast amid prolonged drought conditions and no significant rain in the forecast.

The village of Clinton and several surrounding First Nations reserves have been under evacuation orders since July 24 as flames spread rapidly. The Pear Lake fire destroyed several structures, including homes, on the outskirts of the community.

According to officials, five of seven priority wildfires in British Columbia remain out of control and are expected to continue spreading beyond established containment lines.

The total area burned in Canada this year has reached 2.95 million hectares, a figure that recalls the scale of the record-breaking 2021 and 2023 seasons. Roughly 34,000 lightning strikes hit British Columbia in a single week, sparking numerous new fires.

Ground crews, backed by water bombers, are working to contain the flames, but no significant precipitation is expected in the coming days, complicating operations.

What to watch

How evacuation orders around Clinton evolve, and the impact of smoke on air quality in surrounding regions, including parts of Alberta.

Sources

• Radio-Canada
• Le Devoir
• La Presse
• IQAir