B.C. Forests Minister urges residents to obey evacuation orders

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Forests Minister Ravi Parmar at Prince George City Hall in January 2026

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However, Parmar stressed that evacuation alerts and orders are issued based on recommendations from firefighters and wildfire professionals on the ground. He said the decisions are made by local governments working closely with the BC Wildfire Service.

“When there is an evacuation order in place, it means that there is a threat to property, a threat to community, and a threat to people’s safety,” he said.

Parmar expressed concern that more people may choose to ignore evacuation orders as wildfire seasons become increasingly severe.

“I’m very concerned,” he said. “Any time that someone chooses to not follow an evacuation order, I believe they are putting themselves at risk. And I believe they are putting our wildland firefighters at risk as well.”

The minister said firefighters who know residents remain in an evacuation zone must divide their attention between controlling the blaze and protecting those who stay behind.

“The priority of our wildland professional firefighters and all of the teams supporting them become the people that decide to stay and not on fighting the fire,” Parmar said.

The Pear Lake Fire has displayed what Parmar described as “very extreme fire behaviour,” making suppression efforts difficult. He said periods of intense fire activity have limited both ground operations and the use of aircraft because of safety concerns and reduced visibility from smoke.

While recent rainfall provided some relief, Parmar cautioned that the situation remains serious for communities including Clinton, 70 Mile House and Chasm.

“The next 24 to 48 hours will certainly be critical and crucial,” he said.

Parmar also reminded evacuees that emergency supports are available through local regional districts and provincial emergency programs, encouraging residents to stay informed through the BC Wildfire Service app and official updates.