Pear Lake wildfire damages Clinton ranch

Fire crews and aircraft are working to contain the Pear Lake wildfire in British Columbia’s South Cariboo, where the blaze has grown to more than 1,150 square kilometres as part of the Big Bar Complex fire. At Firefly Ranch in Clinton, owner Barb Edmonson stayed behind to try to protect her property as the fire and nearby 57 Creek blaze converged. She said extreme conditions, including heavy ash and debris, made it difficult to breathe and forced her to focus on saving only a few structures. The fire destroyed 11 structures on the ranch, including historic buildings and this year’s hay crop, although Edmonson was able to move livestock earlier and save the arena. A fundraiser has been set up to help her rebuild, and officials say it is still unclear when animals can safely return to the area.