‘Stay out of the area': Crews battle 65-hectare wildfire next to Harrison Lake
The Bear Creek wildfire, which was discovered Tuesday evening and has grown to 65 hectares in size, is burning just south of the Bear Creek Recreation Site.
It has been classified as a 'wildfire of note,' meaning a fire that is especially visible or poses a threat to public safety.
Get daily National news
Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
A helicopter crew equipped with night vision technology bucketed the fire overnight, and two unit crews with helicopter and airtanker support continued the fight on Wednesday.
Fire crews are asking the public to respect any alerts or closures.
'This is an emerging incident; we do understand this may change a number of people's plans, but we do ask that you stay out of the area,' BC Wildfire Service fire information officer Julia Caranci said.
Story continues below advertisement
'The fire remains out of control in status at this time … and we do have very active operations happening there.'
Officials believe the fire was started by human activity.
The BC Wildfire Service has warned it expects an uptick in fire activity this week, with much of the province's Interior baking under heat warnings and drought conditions plaguing the South Coast and Vancouver Island.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
36 minutes ago
- CTV News
Severe thunderstorm watches, risk of lightning-caused wildfires for B.C. Interior
Severe thunderstorm watches and warnings are in effect Sunday for almost all of the B.C. Interior, as the wildfire service warns of the potential for new lightning-caused blazes. Environment and Climate Change Canada issued severe thunderstorm watches in the afternoon for the Okanagan, Shuswap, Kootenay, Thompson, Cariboo, Prince George, Boundary and Nicola regions. 'Severe thunderstorm watches are issued when conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms capable of producing damaging hail, wind or rain,' the weather agency wrote. Meanwhile, severe thunderstorm warnings are in place for the Central Okanagan, including Kelowna, and Chilcotin regions. The weather agency warned a storm capable of producing 'very strong wind gusts, up to a nickel size hail and heavy rain' is approaching. The B.C. Wildfire Service, in an online update Sunday, said any relief coming from the cooler temperatures in recent days could be offset by the risk of new fires being sparked due to 'elevated lightning activity.' On Saturday, 14,000 lightning strikes were recorded, the agency said, noting there have been more than 62,000 since Wednesday. With increased risk from lightning in the later part of the wildfire season, the BCWS is stressing the importance of being vigilant about preventing human-caused wildfires so resources are not unduly strained. As of Sunday afternoon, there were 143 fires burning in the province and 55 were classified as out of control. Related: Full coverage of B.C.'s 2025 wildfire season
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Officials urge boaters to stay off lakes near raging wildfire on Vancouver Island
Officials are urging boaters to stay off lakes near a raging wildfire on Vancouver Island that has prompted evacuation orders for people on hundreds of properties. The Wesley Ridge wildfire has grown to an estimated 389 hectares, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) and is among nearly 150 wildfires burning around the province. It is suspected to have been caused by human activity. At a news conference on Sunday, fire information officer Madison Dahl said 142 personnel were responding to the fire on the north banks of Cameron Lake, about 50 kilometres northwest of Nanaimo. That city, with a population of about 120,000, is about 90 kilometres northwest of Victoria. The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) said 393 mostly residential properties are under evacuation order, which means residents are required to leave immediately. Another 238 properties are under evacuation alert, meaning residents need to be ready to leave at a moment's notice. A post on B.C. Parks' website said an evacuation order was in place for all of Little Qualicum Falls Park, which has two campgrounds, trails and picnic facilities. Douglas Holmes, director of the emergency operations centre for the RDN, is urging boaters to stay off Cameron, Spider and Horne lakes. Those lakes near the Wesley Ridge blaze are being used by helicopters and firefighting aircraft to refill with water, according to officials. "Any interaction between those aircraft and a personal watercraft ... at best, will delay the fire response, and at worst, will be a very difficult and dangerous interaction that we really, really must avoid," he said at the news conference. "So please, please use common sense in this regard." Highway 4, the longest east-west vehicle route on the island remains open, but officials are urging everyone using the road not to stop and look at the fire. Dahl said the fire along Cameron Lake was burning in inaccessible and challenging terrain "with large amounts of available timber." "It is going to continue to produce smoke as the fire consumes fuels along the slope," she said. The region is expected to get cooler in the next few days, but the area is in a period of drought, Dahl said. There might be some rain on Wednesday, but a significant amount would be needed to make a difference in the fire.
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Protecting homes the priority as Vancouver Island wildfire continues to burn
The Wesley Ridge fire was discovered just after midnight Thursday and is believed to be human caused. (Handout) Entering day four of the fight against the Wesley Ridge wildfire burning out of control on Vancouver Island, B.C. Wildfire Service says the top priority is protecting homes. A total of 393 properties, mostly residential, are under an evacuation order and a further 238 are on alert to leave at a moment's notice. The latest size estimate for the blaze burning on the north side of Cameron Lake between the communities of Port Alberni and Parksville is 389 hectares. However, BCWS information officer Madison Dahl noted visibility is poor due to heavy smoke and the perimeter map is expected to change as it clears. Related: Full coverage of B.C.'s 2025 wildfire season At a news conference Sunday, she said there are currently 142 personnel working on the fire, including 65 firefighters, two fallers and about 75 structure protection specialists. Helping with the effort are seven pieces of heavy equipment and seven helicopters, two with night vision. Firefighters from surrounding municipal departments are helping protect structures. Dahl said crews are prioritizing protecting 'residences, values and critical infrastructure.' She said that active flame has not reached the neighbourhood of Little Qualicum River Village. 'However, there's a lot of risk that goes along with wildfire. Wildfires can spot into areas, and so structure protection is necessary, regardless of where the actual flame front is,' she said. On the firefighting front, heavy equipment is establishing control lines, aircraft are dropping buckets of water to cool down the fire to make conditions safer for ground crews, and BCWS is working on establishing 'large-scale water delivery systems.' The south edge of the fire is burning in inaccessible terrain with lots of timber, which will continue to make smoke. BCWS reminded people to stay off of Cameron Lake, and nearby Horne and Spider lakes so aircraft can collect water. 'We're urging the public to use common sense. Please keep boats away from areas where tankers and aircraft are operating. If there are aircraft in your area, boaters are required to dock immediately,' Dahl said. 'Aircraft require quite a bit of space for approach, filling and departures, and if there is interference, the mission will have to be aborted.' Douglas Holmes, the Emergency Operations Centre director for the Nanaimo Regional District, thanked residents for a smooth evacuation, saying everyone was out by 9 p.m. Saturday night. The reception centre in Qualicum Beach remains open 24 hours a day, and there is accommodation for evacuees with nowhere else to stay. Holmes said people have been asking if they can drop of clothes and food for evacuees, but the reception centre cannot accept donations. 'We do not have space or people to manage and handle donations, so despite the generosity and great intentions of folks, we really ask that you please hold off at this time,' he said. He reminded evacuees to register online at or in-person at the reception centre.
