A wildfire currently burning in North Cowichan is now under control.
The 32-hectare fire burning in Copper Canyon hasn’t seen growth since Aug. 6, according to Coastal Fire Centre information officer, Marg Drysdale, who told CHEK News that fire crews have achieved enough suppression and that there isn’t a risk of the fire spreading.
Currently, there are 20 firefighters, one helicopter and three water tenders on the scene.
Drysdale said crews will be continuing to mop up turning over every piece of debris to ensure nothing is still burning until they are satisfied that it won’t burn any further — a long process that depends on the size of the fire and the vegetation.
Crews have put a backline — an area where crews have removed fuels — around the fire, working 50-100 feet in until the fire is out.
However, while the Copper Canyon wildfire is under control, weather coming in during the week is causing some concern.
Drysdale said there’s a possibility of lightning coming through the Coastal Fire Centre, though, they are not sure where it will strike and if it will come in wet or not.
Drysdale stressed that people need to follow the burn bans in order to prevent any human-caused fires as the province and area is still in drought conditions despite a downturn in the weather.
“We just don’t want human-caused fires especially when we may take another band of lightning,” said Drysdale. “I think people think that because there’s a downturn in the weather right now that it’s not still dry underneath and we are still in drought conditions.”
The Copper Canyon fire is currently the only fire on Vancouver Island according to the BC Wildfire Service dashboard. Another fire on Sonora Island is now under control according to BC Wildfire Service.
READ MORE: North Cowichan wildfire status changed to ‘being held’, fire unlikely to spread
Justin Waddell
