Cameron Bluffs wildfire under control, Helijet offers detour bypass

Cameron Bluffs Wildfire (BC Wildfire Service)

The Cameron Bluffs Wildfire, which has been wreaking havoc on the Island for the past two weeks, is now under control, according to BC Wildfire Service.

That means the fire near Port Alberni that has burned 229 hectares of forest will not spread any further due to suppression efforts.

“Fire behaviour is decreased and is currently displaying a smoldering ground fire with some open flame,” the service said.

On Saturday, there are still 108 firefighters, three helicopters and four pieces of heavy equipment working on the blaze.

There is a chance of showers in the forecast for Port Alberni from Sunday to Tuesday, which could help supress the fire further.

Highway 4, the only paved road connecting the Island’s west coast communities of Tofino, Ucluelet and Port Alberni to the rest of the province, is expected to remain closed until at least June 24.

The province said the tentative late-June reopening will be to single-lane, alternating traffic only, with full, two-way traffic not returning until at least mid-July.

In the meantime, a four-hour long detour route along logging roads through remote and rugged terrain remains the only way to reach the west coast.

To circumvent the tricky detour, helicopter airline Helijet is offering a daily round-trip helicopter flight between Nanaimo and Port Alberni starting Monday.

From Monday to Friday, a flight will leave Nanaimo at 9:30 a.m. and land in Port Alberni about 20 minutes later. The return flight departs Port Alberni at 10:30 a.m. and arrives back in Nanaimo at 10:50 a.m.

A one-way fare for the helicopter costs $175.

Online reservations are not available for the route, so booking must be done by calling Helijet at 1-800-665-4354.