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
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise’s disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Wildfire near Fort McMurray more than triples overnight, several evacuation alerts remain in place
The fire burning near Fort McMurray grew from 25 hectares to 5,500 hectares over the weekend.
Putin replaces Russian defence minister in rare cabinet shakeup
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin began a Cabinet shakeup on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Sergei Shoigu as defence minister as he begins his fifth term in office.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Edibles, armchairs and adapters: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada announced various product recalls this week, including electric adapters, armchairs, cannabis edibles and vehicle components.