A wildfire on a small island off Vancouver Island’s east coast is now classified as being held, with difficult conditions for firefighters.
The fire near the community of Owen Bay on Sonora Island now sits at 5.3 hectares size and there are now 22 firefighters on the scene including two rappel crews, up from 17 on Friday, according to Coastal Fire Centre information officer Marg Drysdale.
The fire is now classified as ‘being held’ as crews believe they have achieved enough suppression of the fire for its spread to be unlikely, according to Drysdale.
Drysdale said crews are working to put a blackline director around the perimeter of the fire, which involves removing fuels around the perimeter to prevent it from spreading.
BC Wildfire Service says residents can expect to see flames still burning within the perimeter of the fire as they continue to battle the blaze.
Drysdale said conditions for fighting the fire are not favourable with steep terrain, a lack of road access and poor communication connection in the area.
Sonora Island is currently under an evacuation alert until further notice as fire crews continue to fight the fire over the weekend, according to the Strathcona Regional District.
Sonora Island is among the islands that make up the Discovery Islands. It is located near Quadra Island and is approximately 30 kilometres northeast of Campbell River.
READ MORE: Wildfire threat puts residents of Sonora Island, one of the Discovery Islands, on evacuation alert
Justin Waddell
