Sonora Island wildfire 'being held' at 5.3 hectares, evacuation alert still in place

The Strathcona Regional District issued the evacuation alert just before midnight Thursday, warning people in the Owen Bay region of Sonora Island to be ready to flee at a moment’s notice. (Google Maps)

Vancouver -

A wildfire that prompted an evacuation alert for residents of one of B.C.'s Discovery Islands is now classified as "being held," according to the BC Wildfire Service.

The fire on Sonora Island was discovered Thursday and soon grew large enough to threaten homes in the island's Owens Bay community.

The Strathcona Regional District issued an evacuation alert for 43 properties in the area, urging residents to be ready to flee at a moment's notice.

As of Saturday morning, the fire had grown to 5.3 hectares, but was "being held," which means the firefighting resources at the scene and the forecasted weather conditions were expected to be sufficient to prevent the fire from growing.

There are 22 firefighters from the BC Wildfire Service battling the blaze, along with two rappel teams, according to Marg Drysdale, fire information officer for Coastal Fire Centre.

The specialized teams rappel down from helicopters onto steep cliffs to reach areas that would otherwise be inaccessible to firefighters, Drysdale said.

"They can get into some pretty remote areas," she said, noting that the fire on Sonora Island is burning in steep, difficult terrain.

On Saturday, crews were working to establish and expand a "black line" - an area with no available fuel - around the perimeter of the fire, Drysdale said. The goal was to push inward 25 to 50 feet to make it even harder for the fire to expand, she added.

Firefighters had help from local volunteers during their initial attack on the blaze Friday. In a news release, the regional district praised residents for coming together "in an organized and caring fashion to protect their community."