Wildfire burning in Comox Valley 'could have been much worse'
A new wildfire is burning in the Comox Valley on eastern Vancouver Island Tuesday.
The wildfire, measuring approximately two and a half acres, was discovered just west of Courtenay, B.C., early Tuesday morning.
Wildfire officials say the blaze was sparked along the Duncan Bay Mainline forest road, north of Browns River. (BC Wildfire Service)
Wildfire officials say the blaze was sparked along the Duncan Bay Mainline forest road, north of Browns River.
Multiple passersby reported seeing flames from nearby Highway 19 and immediately called the authorities.
“I think that with the extreme fire danger rating, it is important to call in anything and have the fire department investigate,” said Courtenay fire inspector Greg Lamb.
The fire started in a massive wood debris pile before spreading into the surrounding forest.
The fire is believed to be human-caused, according to officials, but the investigation is ongoing.
BC Wildfire Service officer Jackson Garrett says the fire “grew quite rapidly due to the dry conditions” but luckily there has been very little wind to push the fire farther into the forest.
“The spread could have been much worse,” Garrett said. “We were lucky here that this was close to the highway [where] people were able to see it.”
The fire is currently the only wildfire burning on Vancouver Island.
“The most important thing is that people are actually doing the job of picking up the phone and calling it in,” the wildfire officer said. “So that really helped for the response time here.”
There were 250 active wildfires burning across the province Tuesday morning, primarily in the B.C. Interior.
More than 3,200 firefighters and personnel are battling fires across the province, including more than 300 firefighters from outside B.C., according to an update Tuesday from Emergency Management BC.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Outdated cancer screening guidelines jeopardizing early detection, doctors say
A group of doctors say Canadian cancer screening guidelines set by a national task force are out-of-date and putting people at risk because their cancers aren't detected early enough.
Lululemon unveils first summer kit for Canada's Olympic and Paralympic teams
Lululemon says it is combining function and fashion in its first-ever summer kit for Canada's Olympians and Paralympians.
'I just started crying': Blue Jays player signs jersey for man in hospital
An Ontario woman says she never expected to be gifted a Blue Jays jersey for her ailing husband when she sat alone at the team’s home opener next to a couple of kind strangers.
Mussolini's wartime bunker opens to the public in Rome
After its last closure in 2021, it has now reopened for guided tours of the air raid shelter and the bunker. The complex now includes a multimedia exhibition about Rome during World War II, air raid systems for civilians, and the series of 51 Allied bombings that pummeled the city between July 1943 and May 1944.
LIVE @ 4 EDT Freeland to present 2024 federal budget, promising billions in new spending
Canadians will learn Tuesday the entirety of the federal Liberal government's new spending plans, and how they intend to pay for them, when Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tables the 2024 federal budget.
B.C. woman facing steep medical bills, uncertain future after Thailand crash
The family of a Victoria, B.C., woman who was seriously injured in an accident in Thailand is pleading for help as medical bills pile up.
Step inside 'The Brain': Northern education tool aims to promote drug safety
An immersive experience inside a massive dome coined 'The Brain' is helping youth learn about brain function and addiction
WATCH Half of Canadians living paycheque-to-paycheque: Equifax
As Canadians deal with a crushing housing shortage, high rental prices and inflationary price pressures, now Equifax Canada is warning that Canadian consumers are increasingly under stress"from the surging cost of living.
Ontario woman charged almost $7,000 for 20-minute taxi ride abroad
An Ontario woman was shocked to find she’d been charged nearly $7,000 after unknowingly using an unauthorized taxi company while on vacation in January.