August Wildfire Update
- kc dyer
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Despite the rain, 80 fires still burning in BC
The recent drenching has been a welcome respite on the West Coast, but despite the reprieve, wildfires continue to rage across the province.
According to the BC Wildfire Service, 80 fires are burning in British Columbia at present, with 52 fires under control, and 21 being held.
The Mount Underwood fire, still out of control near Port Alberni, continues to be classed as a 'Wildfire of Note' by BC Wildfire Service. The recent rain has helped limit perimeter growth somewhat, but the fire still covers more than 3,600 hectares.
Members of the fire service held a media briefing this weekend to caution locals that the rain does not mean it is safe to return to evacuated areas. A BC Wildfire spokesman reminded everyone to avoid the area of the fire, and emphasized the ban on flying drones nearby. "Drone flight in the evacuation zone interferes with BC Wildfire’s efforts from the air and creates a significant danger to air operation personnel."
Two Evacuation Orders remain in place on or around the mountain, with the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District issuing a Local State of Emergency, an Evacuation Order, and an Evacuation Alert, and the Cowichan Valley Regional District issuing an Evacuation Order.
The City of Port Alberni and the Tseshaht First Nation have both issued Evacuation Alerts. BC Wildfire's latest media release says that crews are currently working in burned areas, digging into the forest floor to expose smouldering hotspots and working to extinguish the fire beneath the surface.
Six other fires are burning out of control across the province, including two in the Kamloops area, three in and around Prince George and one in Rundle Creek.
For more information on the Mount Underwood fire, click HERE.
To check out the latest wildfire information, you can find the BC Wildfire Service dashboard HERE.
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