Fire Rescue Crews continue to battle the Holyoak Creek Fire, south of Nanaimo. (submitted photo/Coastal Fire Centre)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

biggest of the season

Overnight rain, para-attack crew halts growth on Holyoak Creek fire

Aug 7, 2021 | 11:23 AM

NANAIMO — Fire crews have managed to halt the spread of Vancouver Island’s largest wildfire so far this season.

Dorthe Jakobsen, fire information officer with the Coastal Fire Centre, told NanaimoNewsNOW the five millimetres of rain the area received overnight helped a little with the fire remaining 32 hectares in size.

“There was no growth overnight, it took a little bit of rain but it’s still out of control. We’re looking at aggressive action [Saturday] as we’re expecting winds [Sunday].”

For the first time ever on Vancouver Island, a para-attack crew of seven members was called in from Fort St. John.

“They flew down in a fixed wing aircraft and they parachuted down adjacent to the fire Friday around 5 p.m. They came with all their own equipment and overnighted on the fire.”

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A crew of 30 firefighters are working on the blaze, including five helicopters, five water tenders, three pieces of heavy equipment and a Structural Protection Unit.

The Holyoak Creek fire was reported late Thursday, Aug. 5, the Coastal Fire Centre believes it to be human caused.

“Access is a problem it’s burning in slash and heavy timber which is really tough work and it’s all so so very dry from the last couple months of drought, so it’s difficult work.”

The Cowichan Valley Regional District declared a local state of emergency on Friday, Aug. 6. One property on Mount Prevost Rd. is under an evacuation order.

Smoke from the fire was present in areas like Chemainus and Ladysmith on Friday, while residents in Nanaimo woke up to a faint smell on the weekend.

As of 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 7, the air quality index in both Duncan and Nanaimo was listed as a two, representing a low health risk.

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