Another suspected human-caused wildfire is burning in the Port Alberni region.
According to the BC Wildfire Service, a 0.3-hectare (0.75 acre) fire has been burning south of Stirling Arm Road near the Alberni Valley landfill and Devils Den Lake.
Julia Caranci, fire information officer with the Coastal Fire Centre, told CHEK News eight firefighters and a helicopter are currently battling the blaze, which began at around 2:30 p.m.
“We believe this fire is human-caused and we are investigating,” added Caranci.
The wildfire is about five kilometres away from another fire that ignited Friday morning. Caranci said 12 firefighters and two helicopters had been battling that fire, which is 0.45 hectares (1.1 acres) in size and is burning south of Silverspoon Road.
“That fire is now under control,” she said.
There have been a handful of fires in the Port Alberni region in recent days including two near Cox Lake and another near Rogers Creek. One of the fires near Cox Lake is now out but the other, a 3.45-hectare (8.5 acres) blaze remains under control, according to the BC Wildfire Service. The Rogers Creek blaze, which is 0.10 hectares (0.25 acres) in size, also remains under control at this time.
Caranci said all of the other fires in Port Alberni are also suspected to be human-caused and are under investigation.
Elsewhere on Vancouver Island, Caranci said the wildfire in Cowichan Valley remains at 5.7 hectares (14 acres) in size and is being held.
“We do not expect it to grow beyond its current perimeter,” she said.
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Nicholas Pescod
