Steep terrain and limited water impact out-of-control fire on Vancouver Island
Beau Michaud, operations sections chief, says in a video shared Sunday that crews face "very, very steep ground with near vertical slopes heading into Cameron Lake" on the south flank of the fire first discovered July 31 and suspected to be human-caused.
Arlen Kanary, operations branch director, says crews have opened up old logging roads and built temporary helicopter landing pads to access the area's "extreme slopes."
Kanary says the lack of water on the side of the mountain due to persistent drought conditions on Vancouver Island has been another challenge, adding that crews have had to bring in water through tenders and helicopters.
Michaud says the public should expect to see smoke from the fire for the "coming weeks, and potentially the coming months" but does not expect the fire to impact Highway 4 connecting communities along the western shore of Vancouver Island with communities on the eastern shore.
Madison Dahl, fire information officer with the wildfire service, says the fire grew to 5.9 square kilometres from 5.8 square kilometres on Saturday, but expects rising temperatures to cause more smoke and impact fire behaviour.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published August 10, 2025.
Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Heat warnings issued for Metro Vancouver as temperatures set to soar
A heat warning has been issued for Metro Vancouver as temperatures are set to soar well over 30 degrees Celsius through Tuesday. Environment Canada extended the warning to the Lower Mainland early Monday after heat warnings were announced for wide swaths of southern B.C. and Vancouver Island over the weekend. The new warning covers the inland and eastern sections of Metro Vancouver, including central Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster, where daily highs are expected to reach 33 C along with overnight lows around 17 C. 'A ridge of high pressure is bringing elevated temperatures to the South Coast,' said the weather agency. ' 'Due to strong northwesterly wind over the Strait of Georgia, the southwestern section of Metro Vancouver as well as areas near the water will likely get a reprieve from the heat.' But the northeast and inland sections of the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley, including Hope, will see daily highs in the low 30s C. Warnings also continue for inland Vancouver Island, the South Fraser Canyon and parts of the B.C. Interior including the South Okanagan and South Thompson regions. Temperatures are expected to ease starting on Wednesday. Environment Canada warns that heat affects everyone, but seniors, people who live alone, those with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, heart or respiratory disease, and people with mental illness or substance use disorders are especially at risk. 'Check on family, friends and neighbours who are at higher risk, particularly if they live alone, to make sure they have a cool space,' advised the agency. Early signs of heat illness include feeling unwell, tired, thirsty and having a headache or unusually dark urine. 'These can rapidly evolve into life-threatening emergencies. Move to a cooler environment immediately, such as a shaded or air-conditioned space.' Drink plenty of water, even before you feel thirsty, to avoid dehydration. If you have concerns about heat illness, call HealthLinkBC at 811 or check the resources at jruttle@
Bloomberg
2 hours ago
- Bloomberg
To Head Off Severe Storm Surges, Nova Scotia Invests in ‘Living Shorelines'
On September 14, 2022, when Hurricane Fiona battered Nova Scotia with gusts exceeding 100 mph and offshore waves cresting 90 feet, residents of Mahone Bay, on the province's southern coast, watched anxiously to see whether their three historic waterfront churches — flood-prone landmarks whose steeples once guided 19th-century seafarers — would survive. A 'living shoreline' stretching 60 meters (197 feet) had just been established to protect Mahone Bay from just such a storm. Spearheaded by the local environmental nonprofit Coastal Action, the pilot project involved building a layered buffer that starts in the shallows with rock sills, submerged barriers that help break up wave energy. It then proceeded landward with a salt marsh of tidal plants, like smooth cordgrass and seaside lavender. The final component was a vegetated bank, rooted with bayberry and wild rose to stabilize the soil. Unlike hardened 'gray' infrastructure like concrete seawalls or rock armoring — which deflect waves onto nearby roads and shorelines, often worsening erosion — living shorelines absorb and diffuse storm surges naturally.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Dozen regions placed on red alert as France is hit by heatwave
A blistering heatwave gripped south-west France on Monday, sending temperatures soaring to 43C in parts of the Charente and Aude. In Aude, a patchwork of vineyards and Mediterranean scrubland, hundreds of firefighters remained on the hillsides guarding the edges of a massive blaze that scorched 16,000 hectares (40,000 acres) last week. Officials said the flames are under control, but warn the fire will not be fully extinguished for weeks, with hot spots still smouldering. The national weather authority, Meteo-France, placed 12 departments on red alert, France's highest heat warning, anticipating exceptional heat stretching from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean plains. Forty-one other departments were under lower-level orange alerts, as was the neighbouring microstate of Andorra, between France and Spain. Social media images showed shuttered streets in Valence, residents shielding windows with foil to reflect the light, and tourists huddling under umbrellas along the Garonne in Toulouse. Across the south, cafe terraces stood empty as people sought cooler corners indoors. The red alert has been issued only eight times since it was created in 2004 after a deadly summer the year before. It is reserved for extreme, prolonged heat with major health risks and the potential to disrupt daily life. The designation gives local officials powers to cancel outdoor events, close public venues and alter school or summer camp schedules. The heatwave, France's second of the summer, began on Friday and is expected to last all week, carrying into the August 15 holiday weekend. It is already pushing northward, with 38C forecast in the Centre-Val de Loire region and up to 34C in Paris.
