A wildfire, related road damage and subsequent repairs and mitigation efforts all impacted traffic along Hwy. 4 at Cameron Lake in 2023, costing the economies of Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet around $60 million in lost revenue. (BC Ministry of Transportation)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

economic impacts

‘The impacts are huge:’ calls renewed for second Island highway route after $15M wildfire loss

Mar 21, 2025 | 1:54 PM

PORT ALBERNI — A significant wildfire on central Vancouver Island in 2023 was extraordinarily costly for some communities.

Studies into the economic impacts have been completed since the Cameron Bluffs wildfire shut down Hwy. 4 between Oceanside and Port Alberni for around two weeks, in addition to other temporary closures through to the fall.

In Port Alberni alone, the event cost an estimated $14.9 million in lost revenue for area businesses, according to Chamber of Commerce CEO Jolleen Dick.

“It reaffirms that there is a need for better critical infrastructure or, what we’re saying, is an alternative route out of Port Alberni. Not just an emergency route for when closures and road disruptions happen, but a viable secondary route to all the flow of goods and services coming in and out of the Alberni Valley.”

Similar studies on the Island’s west coast showed Ucluelet lost around $14.5 million, while Tofino suffered an estimated $31.2 million loss.

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The idea of a second route connecting Port Alberni to eastern Vancouver Island has long been discussed but seldom gained much traction with senior levels of government.

Dick said they believe it’s a necessary piece of infrastructure and are working to gain the government’s attention.

“We just keep working on educating the government on the need, on how severely this region is impacted when we have a road closure. We can always brace ourselves for a temporary road closure, but when we have a long disruption like we did in 2023 the impacts are huge.”

She added the extended closure impacted lives and livelihoods, and was a significant disruption to daily life in her community.

Traffic along Hwy. 4 closed June 6 amid a wildfire burning in the hills above which was sending debris onto the roadway.

A detour to Port Alberni was established through Lake Cowichan, using existing logging roads. It added around four hours to the trip.

Single-lane alternating traffic resumed June 23, however numerous temporary closures continued through until late August when the highway was re-opened to full capacity.

The full report on the losses in Alberni Valley is available here.

–with files from David Wiwchar, 93.3 The Peak

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