A massive blaze burning on the steep slopes of Dog Mountain just east of Port Alberni, B.C. nearly doubled in size overnight.
The Coastal Fire Centre says the blaze, which was estimated at 125 hectares Tuesday, has since grown to 245 hectares.
Although the ground fire is burning at moderate intensity, challenging terrain has made it difficult for firefighters to work safely or effectively.
The area is considered highly dangerous because of debris rolling downhill from the fire.
Some firefighters say they’ve seen 30 to 60-metre cedar trees shooting down the steep mountain “like torpedoes” into Sproat Lake.
Crews are warning the public to steer clear of the area by boat or by foot.
Eighteen water-access cabins on Sproat Lake, at the base of Dog Mountain, remain under evacuation order.
Structural protection units have been placed on the cabins just below the fire.
One uninhabited cabin was destroyed on July 5.
A burn-off to create a fire break was planned for Tuesday but was postponed for 24 hours due to unfavourable conditions.
Fire officials say the controlled burn will likely draw attention because a helicopter equipped with a heli-torch will spray flames on some areas.
The blaze, which was discovered July 4, is believed to be human-caused.
