Wildfire continues to topple trees onto Highway 4 near Port Alberni
A large, out-of-control wildfire continues to burn on Vancouver Island, forcing the closure of Highway 4, the only paved roadway to the island's west coast communities of Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet.
In an update Monday morning, fire information officer Shaelee Stearns said the fire was an estimated 254 hectares.
Some 76 firefighters, four helicopters and 10 pieces of heavy equipment were battling the blaze Monday, as well as an incident management team.
The Cameron Bluffs wildfire on Vancouver Island is pictured on June 9, 2023. (Transportation BC/Twitter)"The Cameron Bluff wildfire is burning in very steep terrain with unstable rock slopes above Highway 4," said Stearns.
"Due to the fire, some tree roots have been compromised and are falling onto Highway 4."
The wildfire is located just south of Cameron Lake, about 20 kilometres east of Port Alberni.
The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) says crews are working to strengthen containment lines around the fire, and are conducting tree assessments throughout the fire site.
"The incident management team is working with our agency partners along with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to mitigate hazards along the highway corridor," said Stearns.
A firefighter was injured while battling the blaze on Saturday and was airlifted to hospital.
The B.C. Wildfire Service says it cannot comment on the extent of the person's injuries for privacy reasons.
Stearns says the BCWS and WorkSafeBC will launch their own investigations into the incident, as is protocol during any injury or accident during firefighting efforts.
Relatively cooler and wet weather helped firefighting efforts over the weekend, though higher temperatures and lower relative humidity, along with wind gusts, are expected this week, making firefighting efforts more difficult.
DETOUR IN EFFECT
A detour around Highway 4 is available, though the province says it should only be used for essential purposes.
Commercial vehicles carrying supplies, such as fuel and food, have priority on the roadway, according to the province.
The approximately four-hour detour is located along logging roads spanning from Lake Cowichan to Port Alberni.
The unpaved roads are windy, dusty, and involve single-lane bridges.
No cellphone service is available on the detour route, and drivers are encouraged to bring food and water, and to be prepared for slow moving traffic with no opportunities to pass vehicles.
Highway 4 has been closed since June 6 due to the wildfire. On Monday afternoon, the province said there was no estimate on when the highway will reopen.
The detour route is shown. (Province of B.C.)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Slovakia's populist prime minister shot multiple times in attempted assassination
Slovakia's populist Prime Minister Robert Fico is in life-threatening condition after being wounded in a shooting after a political event Wednesday afternoon, according to his Facebook profile.
Transport Canada's UFO 'lead' planned to meet with U.S. intel officials, called info requests a 'wild goose chase'
Canada's transportation department had a UFO 'lead' who tried to 'quell' media interest and planned to meet with U.S. intelligence officials.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver handed a cell phone ticket for using points app in McDonald's drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
'The Fly' has become notorious in France after a brazen escape. What's his criminal history?
A prisoner nicknamed “The Fly” has become notorious in France overnight after a daring and bloody escape from a prison convoy in Normandy that left two guards dead.
BREAKING Ontario's 'crypto king' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
BREAKING Barge hits a bridge in Texas, damaging the structure and causing an oil spill
A barge hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a small island, officials said.
Person responsible for 1996 drugging of 'Titanic' crew likely not a local: Halifax police
Halifax Regional Police believe a non-resident could be responsible for the infamous drugging of numerous crew members of the 'Titanic' movie with a hallucinogenic in 1996.
Latest updates on the biggest wildfires burning in Canada
Thousands of people in Western Canada remain displaced from their homes as wildfires threaten their communities, triggering evacuation orders and alerts.
OPINION Your attention span is shrinking, studies say. Here's how to stay focused: Sandee LaMotte
Regaining your focus requires you to be mindful of how you are using technology -- a daunting task if you consider the average American spends at least 10 hours a day on screens.