Firefighters say hotspots 'dug into the ground' at wildfire site near Victoria
A wildfire that ignited northwest of Victoria on Tuesday morning is now considered "held" Wednesday, according to the BC Wildfire Service, as firefighters continue to manage hotspots.
The roughly one-hectare blaze was spotted early Tuesday morning on the eastern shore of Finlayson Arm, north of Goldstream Provincial Park.
The fire was located in a hard-to-reach forested slope. Municipal firefighters used boats to access the fire while the BC Wildfire Service deployed three helicopters to assist ground crews.
On Wednesday afternoon, the BC Wildfire Service said the fire did not grow overnight, and that it is "not likely to spread beyond predetermined boundaries under prevailing conditions."
Highlands Fire Rescue Chief Dean Ford says the fire is "dug into the ground" and is likely to continue smouldering because of dry conditions for quite some time.
"It's a lot of rotten rock and shale and things like that," Ford told CTV News. "You have these pits and roots and things, so it's really dug itself in there quite deep."
"We're literally having to dig up an entire hectare by hand and wet it down because there's absolutely no moisture in the ground right now," he added.
Crews with the BC Wildfire Service, Highlands Fire Rescue, Metchosin Fire Department and the Willis Point Volunteer Fire Department remain at the scene Wednesday.
About 20 firefighters are there looking for hotspots until the fire is fully extinguished.
The fire is believed to have started after a hiker got lost in the area and lit a campfire to stay warm.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Canada Post's newest stamp features special cookies for Islamic holiday
Canada Post’s newest specialty stamps feature 'melt-in-your-mouth' desserts to mark two Islamic festivals, the crown corporation announced Thursday.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.