Most of the 462 wildfires burning in B.C. are small and in remote areas, but there are 25 fires of note burning in the six fire centres in the province. Kevin Skrepnek, chief fire information officer, says there have been more fires in B.C. this year compared to 2017….. https://www.mycowichanvalleynow.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/skrepnek-2.wav Skrepnek says the fires are burning right from the southern border of B.C. to the north and on Vancouver Island. He says there have been some successes when it comes to fighting the fires, but the weather forecast for Friday is a big concern. He says along with a cooling trend it could get windy, and rain, at the moment, is a big x-factor. The human-caused Nanaimo Lakes wildfire is now 160 hectares in size and has grown by 30 hectares in the last 24 hours. Fifty-five firefighters and six helicopters have been deployed to fight the Nanaimo Lakes wildfire and a number of crews have been pulled back from other parts of the province. Fire Information Officer Donna MacPherson is pleading with the public to be responsible. MacPherson says these preventable fires need to stop because lightning-caused fires may spark, and these human-caused blazes take resources away from those fires sparked by lightning. The Nanaimo Lakes fire is ten per cent contained and is still ‘out of control.’<doc-sep>Fire at 179 hectares and 25 per cent containment as of Wednesday evening UPDATE: While the wildfire at the Nanaimo Lakes area is still active, it is unlikely to spread, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service. The fire, located 13 kilometres southwest of Nanaimo and first reported Aug. 5, is “being held,” which the wildfire service defines as a situation where “sufficient suppression action has been taken that the fire is not likely to spread beyond existing or predetermined boundaries under the prevailing and forecasted conditions.” According to Dorothy Jakobsen, fire information officer with the Coastal Fire Centre, the fire remains at 182 hectares in size. “What the crews will do now is they’ll walk the ground and they’ll look for hot spots and they’ll dig down and they’ll put out each hot spot and they’ll be looking for danger trees, trees that are burned that need to be cut down, and it’s long, laborious, hard work for the crews,” said Jakobsen. According to Jakobsen, Nanaimo Lakes fire was been determined to be human-caused and remains under investigation, which will take a few months to unfold. Rain over the weekend didn’t extinguish the fire, Jakobsen said. “Rain always helps, but at this time of the year it doesn’t do a lot,” said Jakobsen. “It kind of dampens the surface, but doesn’t go very deep, so it’s still very dry. As you know we’re in a drought/high drought rating, so it’s still very dry out there and there’s still fire danger hazards.” The wildfire service still has 34 firefighters, two helicopters and six pieces of heavy equipment dedicated to the fire. Nanaimo continues to be affected by smoky skies due to the wildfire and a special air quality statement remains in effect for the area, according to a bulletin from Environment Canada. People with pre-existing health conditions, the elderly, infants, children and sensitive individuals are more susceptible to the smoke and are more likely to see health effects from exposure, said Environment Canada. People who have difficulty breathing are advised to remain inside, it said. SUNDAY MORNING: A small spot fire in Nanaimo was one of more than 30 sparked by lightning on Vancouver Island yesterday. A fire noted Saturday by B.C. Wildfire Service at Blackjack Creek west of Nanaimo was holding as of Sunday morning, said Dorothy Jakobsen, fire information officer with the Coastal Fire Centre. “It was a small spot fire, we responded, they caught it in time, I believe,” she said. The area isn’t easily accessible for most vehicles, but “we are used to dealing with remote fires,” Jakobsen said. “That’s what we do, for the most part, actually … It was caught by the initial attack crew very quickly.” Meanwhile, the Nanaimo Lakes fire reached 50 per cent containment, which represented “good progress,” she said, helped by the rain. She said 34 fires started Saturday in the region, 31 of them due to lightning and three suspected to be person-caused. She said B.C. Wildfire Service receives information about fires from tips from the public and from pilots, as well as from dedicated patrols. “When we know there’s a lightning storm in the offing, we organize ourselves and we get up in the air and we try and get eyes on the land as soon as possible,” Jakobsen said. With so many fires all at once, she said the Coastal Fire Centre is prioritizing and looking at where to deploy resources. “We’re doing what we can,” she said. “Quite often a lot of these are just a tree is on fire from lightning, the crew goes out and they get it and it’s over.” SATURDAY AFTERNOON: Households near the Nanaimo Lakes fire are no longer on evacuation alert. The Regional District of Nanaimo announced Saturday afternoon that it is rescinding an evacuation order for 77 addresses, and downgrading an evacuation order to an evacuation alert for another area closer to the Nanaimo Lakes wildfire. B.C. Wildfire Service reports that the fire is now at 182 hectares with 40 per cent containment. “The crews have made really good progress on it,” said Donna MacPherson, fire information officer with the Coastal Fire Centre. “The fires didn’t react badly to the winds that went through here yesterday, which we were really grateful for.” She said a lightning storm set off about 13 new fires on the northern tip of Vancouver Island, but that shouldn’t impact firefighting efforts at Nanaimo Lakes. “We always put the most resources where [the fire] is adjacent to homes and communities, so of course that fire is well-resourced…” MacPherson said. “We’re mobilizing resources to the north where we can, but most of those fires are in a more remote location.” According to the B.C. Wilfire Service website, crews at the Nanaimo Lakes wildfire have containment on the southeast side of the fire facing homes. “Nanaimo River Road will remain closed 300 metres on each side of the fire and pilot cars will be used to escort traffic,” the site notes. FRIDAY AFTERNOON: With wildfires burning in multiple locations on the Island, decisions need to be made every day about how to best deploy resources. The Nanaimo Lakes wildfire is the largest blaze on Vancouver Island, but with others near Port Alberni, Crofton and Sooke and more than a dozen others in the Coastal Fire Centre’s mainland boundaries, there’s a balancing act. Natasha Broznitsky, fire information officer with the Coastal Fire Centre, said B.C. Wildfire Service firefighters are a “provincial resource,” but British Columbia’s six fire centres are entrusted with ensuring they maintain fire protection levels in their regions, with an eye to other parts of the province. Firefighters can sometimes be sent elsewhere, but “as a general rule, Coastal Fire Centre crews would certainly spend the majority of their time on the coast in a busier year, or a busier time period,” she said. “But within the Coastal Fire Centre, you can certainly see some movement of crews … Vancouver Island crews can be kind of moving around on the Island.” As for the Nanaimo Lakes wildfire, B.C. Wildfire Service provided an update on Friday afternoon, reporting that the fire size remains at 179 hectares with 25 per cent containment. “This containment is on the southeast side, on the side facing the homes on Nanaimo Lake Road,” notes the B.C. Wildfire Service website. The wildfire service reports “good progress,” adding that the incident commander was watching for the arrival of a cold front on Friday evening to help crews improve containment. THURSDAY NIGHT: B.C. Wildfire Service provided an update on Thursday night, reporting that the fire size remains at 179 hectares with 25 per cent containment. “Crews have made good progress on this fire today,” notes the wildfire services website, adding that more guard has been built which crews hope to strenthen enough to be able to improve containment on Friday. The fire will have a fire watch on it tonight. THURSDAY AFTERNOON: Wildfires burning in a few different areas has the Coastal Fire Centre busy. In addition to the Nanaimo Lakes wildfire, holding at 179 hectares, crews are also in the Beaufort Range near Port Alberni and at Maple Mountain near Crofton. “The Coastal Fire Centre is responding to more wildfires in the last few days than we were previously in the last couple of weeks before that period,” said Natasha Broznitzky, fire information officer. “We certainly are paying close attention to the resources we have on the fires and making some plans for if we do get lightning with the change in weather that we’re expecting here in the next day of so … Resources and weather changes are something that we’re watching really closely.” THURSDAY AFTERNOON: Crews worked all night trying to get the Nanaimo Lakes wildfire under control, and firefighting efforts are continuing today. The wildfire, approximately 13 kilometres southwest of Nanaimo, was holding at 179 hectares with 25 per cent containment as of Thursday morning. “Our firefighters are working to improve that containment today,” noted a press release Thursday from the B.C. Wildfire Service.<doc-sep>UPDATE 8 p.m.: Osborne Bay Road has reopened between Herd Road and Crofton, and residents who had left their homes for firefighting reasons have been allowed to return home, but a 30-minute evacuation alert remains in place. Residents of Osborne Bay Road between Tatlo Road West and Herd Road have been advised by the RCMP to prepare for an evacuation order due to the forest fire on Maple Mountain. “They have 30 minutes to evacuate if an order is given,” Cst. Pam Bolton explained. “There has not been an order given. If an order is given, we will go down and make direct contact with residents.” Police have been going door-to-door on Osborne Bay Road advising residents that they will have half an hour to evacuate if that is deemed necessary. Seven fire halls including Maple Bay, Crofton, Chemainus, Duncan, Sahtlam, North Cowichan’s South End hall and Cowichan Bay as well as the BC Wildfire Service have been called out battle the fire on Maple Mountain, just off Osborne Bay Road. Ladysmith crews are standing by at the Chemainus fire hall while a crew from Mill Bay is stationed at the Duncan hall. mill bay fire hall Initial reports from the scene were that there were spot fires and heavy smoke showing. Three helicopters have been brought in from the Coastal Fire Centre to help from the air, as well as three firefighters who are on the ground. The fire is about a hectare in size at this time. Maple Mountain is in the North Cowichan Municipal Forest Reserve, and the municipality also brought in water trucks and a backhoe as well as firefighting equipment to deal with the flames. Trails in the area are closed. “The fire is located approximately 1km east of the Municipal Forest Reserve parking lot on Osborne Bay Road,”North Cowichan spokesperson Natasha Horsman said. “Multiple fire departments and the BC Wildfire Service are responding. The public is asked to avoid the mountain and closed signs are being installed at Maple Mountain trailheads. Large-scale evacuation [is] not required at this time.” New information from the Municipality is available at www.northcowichan.ca/FireEvent For alerts from North Cowichan, sign up for e-alerts at www.northcowichan.ca/eAlert RELATED: Helicopters arrive to help battle wildfire near Port Alberni RELATED: Nanaimo Lakes wildfire growing, but crews gaining some containment Osborne Bay Road has been closed between Herd Road and Chilco Road, so traffic should look for an alternate route. Transit route #6 is taking an alternate route due to the road closure. The bus will not be using the stops along Herd or Osborne Bay Roads according to BC Transit, but stops on Joan Avenue in Crofton will still be used for pick up and drop off. Bits of ash were reportedly falling from the blaze as far away as Maple Bay. RELATED: No B.C. region left untouched with 462 wildfires burning Maple Mountain is a popular spot for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and more. More as it becomes available.<doc-sep>
UPDATE: August 8th: The Nanaimo Lakes Wildfire continues to spread with the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) estimating the blaze at 160 hectares. Flames were seen heading north Tuesday towards Barsby Lake. The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) said Tuesday night the wildfire was growing west towards Nanaimo Lakes and the the evacuation order west of the blaze, about 13 kilometres southwest of Nanaimo, remains in effect. An evacuation alert for 77 properties east of the fire continues. Update from BC Wildfire on the Nanaimo Lakes Wildfire as of 6:30pm Aug 7. The evacuation order and alert remain in affect: https://t.co/43fjoFuh5o https://t.co/aG3spL2gSr — RDN (@RDNanaimo) August 8, 2018 The RDN said Tuesday night 10 per cent of the fire is contained, but still considered out of control and a Wildfire of Note by the BCWS. District officials say traffic is being stopped on Nanaimo River Road and Nanaimo Lakes Road at South Forks Road heading west toward the fire. Anyone who lives on Nanaimo River Road with proof of residency are permitted to enter and exit. UPDATE: August 7th: A wildfire burning in the Nanaimo Lakes area near Nanaimo River Road is now at 131 hectares. The Regional District of Nanaimo says 57 personnel, as well as heavy machinery, are fighting the blaze on the ground and six helicopters fighting in the air. The fire has been moving in a west-northwest direction, and no reception centre has been opened for the time being. Currently the fire is classified as out of control and is suspected to be human-caused, but is still under investigation. State of emergency details: CHEK Newsletter Sign up for our newsletter to get breaking news and daily digests sent to your email. Email Address Sign Up The Regional District of Nanaimo has declared a local state of emergency due to the Nanaimo Lakes wildfire. An evacuation order and an alert have been issued for areas around the wildfire, which is burning out of control. The evacuation order is for anyone currently west of the fire, in the area outlined below: The district said the fire can potentially threaten the life and property and people in the area. Everyone in the evacuation area has been told to leave. RCMP are in the area and are enforcing the order. The evacuation alert is for 77 properties east of the fire. It includes the following areas: Elk Trails Way from 2515-2630 Nanaimo River Road from 1565-2665 South Forks Road from 2375-2710 Twilight Way from 2728-2796 The people at the residences in the area will be notified if the alert is changed to an evacuation order. Residents in the alert area will be given much advance notice as possible prior to an evacuation. However, the district said residents may receive limited notice due to changing conditions. The district advises of the following steps to prepare for an evacuation order: Locating all family members or co-workers and designate at an agreed to meeting place, outside the evacuation area, should an evacuation be called while separated. Gathering essential items such as medications, eyeglasses, valuable papers (i.e. insurance), immediate care needs for dependents and, if you choose, keepsakes (photographs, etc.). Have these items readily available for quick departure. Preparing to move any disabled persons and/or children. Moving pets and livestock to a safe area. Arranging to transport your household members or co-workers in the event of an evacuation order. If you need transportation assistance from the area please call 911. Arranging accommodation for your family if possible. In the event of an evacuation, Reception Centres will be opened if required. The full press release can be read here. The wildfire is located in the Nanaimo Lakes area near Nanaimo River Road. The lakes are around 30 kilometres southwest of the City of Nanaimo. Air tankers were brought in Monday to assist with the fire, in addition to the 36 personnel and two pieces of heavy machinery fighting on ground and five helicopters fighting in the air.