'We do anticipate there will be more': Multiple wildfires burning on Vancouver Island after lightning storm
Wildfire officials say a lightning storm rolling over Vancouver Island is responsible for sparking up to nine fires burning in the region Wednesday.
All of the fires are centred around the Barkley Sound area, with blazes reported near the communities of Port Alberni, Ucluelet, Bamfield, Buttle Lake and Nitinat Lake.
"We now have nine fires that we are either on scene at or en route to," said Julia Caranci, a fire information officer with the Coastal Fire Centre, in an email Wednesday afternoon.
The spokesperson said it is possible that some of the fires reported to officials Wednesday are actually the same conflagration being reported more than once due to the close proximity of some of the fires.
"The storm continues to move over Vancouver Island so we do anticipate there will be more fires [to] report over the coming hours and possibly days," Caranci added.
All of the fires reported on the island Wednesday were smaller than an acre before 1 p.m.
Vancouver Island has dodged the worst of British Columbia's wildfires this summer. The B.C. Wildfire Service has counted 579 wildfires in the province in 2022, with the most destructive blazes reported in the province's Interior and southeastern regions.
There were 58 wildfires burning in B.C. on Wednesday afternoon.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Here's how much more Canadian landlords are asking for now, according to a just-released report
A new report says the average asking rent for a home in Canada in April was up 9.3 per cent compared with a year ago, while a slight month-over-month increase was also recorded for the first time since January.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A man was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
What is basic income, and how would it impact me?
Parliamentarians are considering a pair of bills aiming to lift people out of poverty through a basic income program, but some fear these types of systems could result in more taxes for Canadians who are already financially struggling.