Smoke is seen from the fire near Nimpkish Lake on July 6. Courtesy of Ronnie Peabody.
Crews are tackling a wildfire on northern Vancouver Island that started Wednesday night and is now 20 hectares in size.
The fire is located just north of Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park and 10 kilometres south-west of Port McNeill, on the west side of Highway 19. BC Wildfire Service said it is not under control and no structures are at risk, as the blaze is in a remote location.
The wildfire south of Port McNeill sparked on July 5.
Thirty-five firefighters and three officers are battling the blaze on the ground, while three helicopters are using buckets to put water on the fire.
Air tankers have also been assisting crews by dropping retardant on the fire. The fire is smouldering on the ground with a bit of open flame. Earlier Thursday, the fire was reported to be 15 hectares in size, but was upgraded to 20 hectares by the evening.
The fire is believed to be human caused.
Smoke from the wildfire near Nimpkish Lake is seen from Alert Bay. Courtesy of Garth Cameron.
A campfire ban is currently in effect for the Coastal Fire Centre, with the exception of Haida Gwaii and a two-kilometre strip along the coast of Vancouver Island known as the “Fog Zone,” due to hot, dry weather throughout the region.The Costal Fire Centre includes Vancouver Island, Sea to Sky area, the Sunshine Coast, the Lower Mainland and the central coast.
As of Thursday, crews are also still working on the 1.2-hectare blaze on Mount Quimper near Sooke. A small brush fire near South Shawnigan Lake Road was quickly extinguished Wednesday afternoon.
A few photos from last night at the Mount Quimper fire of the burned areas. Crews are still working this fire today. #Sooke
Posted by Sooke Fire Rescue Service on Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Alexa Huffman
