The Cameron Bluffs fire has grown to 208 hectares despite cooler temperatures and a bit of rain early Friday, June 9, 2023.
害羞草研究所淓arly this morning we received a very small trace amount of rain on the fire,害羞草研究所� incident commander Bryce Moreira from the BC Wildfire Service said in a Coastal Fire Centre briefing. While the rainfall wasn害羞草研究所檛 significant it was enough to decrease fire activity, 害羞草研究所淲hich is good news for crews,害羞草研究所� he said.
The BCWS has four helicopters working the fire, eight pieces of heavy equipment, two unit crews and several initial attack crews totalling 60 personnel. An additional 20-person crew will be tasked to the Cameron Bluffs fire later today, and air tankers will be deployed as available.
Heavy equipment is situated on the west flank of the fire closest to Cathedral Grove. Helicopters are working the east flank closest to homes around Cameron Lake and air tankers have been tasked to that area as well, Moreira said.
Ground crews last night conducted a hand ignition on the south flank to give them an 害羞草研究所渁nchor point害羞草研究所� to continue working that side from the ground. More ground crews are working the north side of the fire.
The downturn in the weather means crews have been able to work directly on the fire, Moreira said.
害羞草研究所淲e haven害羞草研究所檛 seen any noticeable growth to the east or west,害羞草研究所� he said. The fire is still growing to the south, away from the highway.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檒l still be working this fire for the next several days.害羞草研究所�
Highway 4 remains closed between Parksville and Port Alberni due to the fire.
The weather is expected to turn hot and dry in the region next week. The fire danger throughout most of the Island is moderate to high, with some areas in south Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland at extreme. There is a complete fire ban in the Coastal Fire Centre except for Haida Gwaii. This includes campfires, open fires, fireworks, sky lanterns, burn barrels, binary exploding targets, chimeneas or torches. The City of Port Alberni has also enacted a complete fire ban.
Premier David Eby was questioned by media during another event on whether the province is putting enough of a priority on the Cameron Bluffs fire. 害羞草研究所淭he priority of the province is to get that fire fought and to address the crisis this represents for your community,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淔ood trucks and fuel trucks are getting through on the detour right now. So there害羞草研究所檚 no need to buy more than what you need: essential supplies are getting through.害羞草研究所�
He said decisions on how fires are fought are left up to the experts and are based 害羞草研究所渙n available resources, fires in other communities, safety for firefighters; and we expect and trust the experts to make those decisions.害羞草研究所�
Kimberly Kelly from the Coastal Fire Centre said the fire is 害羞草研究所渁dequately resourced害羞草研究所nd staffing is appropriate for the fire behaviour.害羞草研究所� It is a priority for the province because of its proximity to Highway 4 and Cathedral Grove.
There is no danger to life, structures or critical infrastructure on the Cameron Bluffs fire, she added. She deferred questions on how long the highway would be closed to the Ministry of Transportation. A road advisory from Friday morning stated the highway will likely be closed 害羞草研究所渂eyond the fire itself害羞草研究所� due to damage to the road and instability of the slope above the highway due to the wildfire.
Road alerts can be found online at under the Emergency Events link.
The alternate route to the east side of the Island, via Bamfield and Lake Cowichan, will be closed on Friday between 1害羞草研究所�9 p.m. while crews retrieve a semi-truck that rolled down an embankment at Francis Lake.
The government and Mosaic Forest Management are taking heavy criticism from residents in the Alberni Valley for not opening up logging roads to the northeast, through Horne Lake. The route through Mosaic害羞草研究所檚 property has long been sought as a second entrance to the Alberni Valley, which the provincial government officially rejected in 2016害羞草研究所攐pting instead to make improvements to Highway 4.
The transportation ministry has said the Horne Lake route will be used for emergency vehicles only, and some BC Wildfire Service crew.
Eby said he害羞草研究所檚 been told the Horne Lake route is 害羞草研究所渟teeper and narrower than the current route and we害羞草研究所檝e already seen safety issues with a truck going off the road and down an embankment. I害羞草研究所檓 advised it害羞草研究所檚 not a viable route.害羞草研究所�
susie.quinn@albernivalleynews.com
Like us on and follow us on
