Vancouver Island wildfire surges in size, forces rolling highway closures
An out-of-control wildfire on Vancouver Island surged in size Tuesday, covering more than a square kilometre and forcing intermittent closures of the only highway to Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet.
The wildfire near Cameron Lake, approximately 20 kilometres east of Port Alberni, reached Highway 4 on Tuesday morning, prompting the B.C. Ministry of Transportation to temporarily close a seven-kilometre stretch of the highway just south of the lake.
The highway was reopened to single-lane alternating traffic before noon, and the ministry issued a warning to drivers to avoid stopping in the area.
The highway was again closed in both directions before 4 p.m., with rolling closures and partial reopenings expected to last through the evening.
Port Alberni Mayor Sharie Minions says the ongoing closures along Highway 4 – the only major vehicle route in and out of the community – is a grave concern among residents.
"We've all seen situations like this escalate in other parts of the province over the last few years with some of the really significant and severe forest fires," Minions told CTV News.
"We have to be able to truck in goods, we have to keep our families safe, obviously, as we navigate through this."
The B.C. Wildfire Service says air tankers and helicopters are supporting the efforts of ground attack crews, dropping water on the most inaccessible areas of the fire.
Louis Verheyen, owner of the Cameron Lake Resort, says he closed the resort's boat ramp – the only ramp access to Cameron Lake – to keep watercraft off the water while the aerial firefighting vehicles were scooping up lake water on Tuesday.
Provincial officials say the Cameron Bluffs fire, which was first reported early Sunday morning, is believed to be human-caused.
On Monday, the fire measured just 20 hectares before growing to 25 hectares Tuesday morning and 109 hectares by the afternoon.
The wildfire agency says 79 fires were actively burning in the province Tuesday afternoon, with 27 fires considered out of control.
Thirty-seven of the active fires are suspected to have been caused by lightning, 33 are believed to have been caused by people and nine are of unknown origin, according to the agency.
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.
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.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'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.
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.
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.
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.