A significant storm system moved through western Vancouver Island on Wednesday, Aug. 10, bringing brief rain but dozens of lightning strikes to tinder-dry forests. (Environment Canada)

By Alex Rawnsley

summer fires

VIDEO: Early morning lightning storm sparks multiple fires across central Vancouver Island

Aug 10, 2022 | 11:39 AM

NANAIMO — A large, active storm system making its way through Vancouver Island is leaving behind some wildfire activity.

Four fires were sparked in a matter of hours after an early morning storm system crossed over the Island on Wednesday, Aug. 10. Lightning strikes were in the dozens near communities like Ucluelet, Tofino, Bamfield and inland to Port Alberni.

By early Wednesday afternoon several additional small fires were reported, including three off the west end of Great Central Lake.

Julia Caranci, information officer with the Coastal Fire Centre, told NanaimoNewsNOW reports came in very quickly with smoke visible from the sites near Bamfield and parts west of Port Alberni.

“We have aircraft and crews that are on their way or on scene at those fires. They are all currently under a hectare in size, but we do expect some of the fires that are sparked [Wednesday] could grow larger just because of how dry the forest is.”

Seven Straight

Clippers still in line for home ice advantage in playoffs after OT win

5h ago

heading to jail

'Like trading cards in school:' mid-Island man sent to jail for sharing child abuse images

13h ago

when the walls fell

Demolition underway for former Howard Johnson hotel property in Nanaimo

14h ago

Little rain accompanied the lightning, allowing fires to show quickly.

More lightning is expected and a risk of thunderstorms persist in the forecast for many Island communities including Nanaimo and Oceanside.

Caranci said the Coastal Fire Centre was on alert for more activity as a result of the storm connecting with bone-dry conditions in the forests.

“We have heightened prep on at that time, heightened resources on. We have surveillance happening when we know the lightning is hitting a particular area, but we do count on the public to report those fires and we will be seeing multiple reports coming in for those fires.”

Monitoring will also continue in the days to come.

While lightning is a leading cause of fires in the region, many times a fire starts hours or even days after the actual strike.

“Sometimes the strike goes deep into the ground then the heat builds up over a matter of sometimes days, then the fire and smoke can emerge and we’ll see it days later.”

Burning prohibitions remain in place for the Coastal Fire Centre, including a campfire ban which was implemented earlier in August.

The moves effectively outlaw all open fires in a bid to keep the number of burns started by people down to a minimum, freeing up resources to deal with fires from more natural causes.

If you spot smoke in the backcountry, you can report it to the BC Wildfire Service at 1 800 663 5555, or *5555 on your cell phone.

A map of fires in the Coastal Fire Centre, as of 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 10. Two separate fires, around two to three kilometres apart have crews busy west of Port Alberni, with others on southwestern Vancouver Island. (BC Wildfire Service)

A map of recorded lightning strikes on and near Vancouver Island from the last 24 hours, a bulk of them coming early Wednesday, Aug. 10. (LightningMaps.org)

Local news. Delivered. Free. Subscribe to our daily news wrap and get our top local stories delivered to your email inbox every evening

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @Nanaimonewsnow