Helicopters, boats and ground crews battling out-of-control wildfire near Victoria
Firefighters took to the air, land and sea to battle an out-of-control wildfire northwest of Victoria on Tuesday morning.
Three helicopters were contracted by the B.C. Wildfire Service early Tuesday to assist ground crews on the eastern shore of Finlayson Arm, where a half-hectare blaze was identified in the early-morning hours.
Wildfire smoke blankets the area around Finlayson Arm on Tuesday morning. (CTV News)
CTV News has learned the fire was started by a hiker who got lost in the area and lit a campfire to stay warm.
By 1:30 p.m., Langford Fire Rescue said the blaze was being held and was not likely to grow under the current weather conditions.
The fire was spotted overnight, according to Highlands Fire Rescue, but its remote and difficult location made it hard to access in the dark.
The area, near Hydro Road, is defined by steep cliffs and dense forest.
Firefighters, including municipal responders from Langford and Highlands, were accessing the region by boat.
Wildfire smoke blankets the area around Finlayson Arm on Tuesday morning. (CTV News)
Firefighters gathered at the Goldstream Boat Launch around 8 a.m. to transit to the area.
The helicopters were initially delayed in getting to the scene due to dense, early-morning fog, according to provincial fire information officer Julia Caranci.
Crews were monitoring nearby power lines to ensure hydro transmission was not interrupted by the blaze or the fire-suppression efforts.
The cause of the fire is still officially under investigation but is suspected to be human-caused, Caranci said.
Langford Fire Rescue says there was no immediate threat to any homes in the area.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.