The BC Wildfire service said a number of wooden railway trestle bridges have been lost or damaged due to the Wesley Ridge wildfire. Photo from 2012 showing the decommissioned trestle bridge along the E&N trail. (Submitted/Deirdre Bellaart)

By Jordan Davidson

trestles lost

At least two railway trestle bridges lost in Wesley Ridge wildfire, third damaged

Aug 8, 2025 | 1:45 PM

UPDATE: As of the morning of Sunday, Aug. 10, the Wesley Ridge wildfire is now 590 hectares in size and remains burning out of control.

EARLIER: PARKSVILLE — While no homes or buildings have reported damage due to the out-of-control wildfire north of Cameron Lake, a few of the decommissioned railway trestle bridges in the area have been damaged.

Information officer with BC Wildfire Madison Dahl, said two trestles have been lost completely.

“A third trestle was compromised and was actively defended during the wildfire when it was down and active in that area. We are working to prevent any further damage to the third, but it is compromised.”

She also wasn’t able to confirm exactly which trestles have been impacted, with the full extent of the damage still unknown until they’re able to return to the site.

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The Wesley Ridge wildfire remains at 571 hectares in size as of the afternoon of Friday, Aug. 8, with minimal fire growth reported overnight.

A third of evacuated properties north of Cameron Lake were allowed to return home earlier this week.

While no longer in use, the train trestle bridges in Wesley Ridge were popular attractions to locals and tourists. Photo from 2022. (Submitted/Kent Wilson)

No new evacuation orders or alerts have been issued in the last few days, nor have any of those orders been rescinded since Wednesday, when 99 properties were downgraded from an evacuation order to an alert.

Over 290 residents remain under an evacuation order as of Friday afternoon, with 353 properties on evacuation alert.

Officials with the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) said over 500 evacuees have received provincial emergency support services, with those supports extended until Aug 11.

More information on evacuation orders and alerts can be found here at the RDN website.

During an update on the Wesley Ridge wildfire on Friday, Aug. 8, Dahl said it remained mostly at a rank one fire with pockets of rank two overnight.

Rank one indicates a smouldering ground fire with no open flame, while rank two is a low, but vigorous surface fire with some flames visible.

While Cameron Lake remains closed, Horne and Spider Lake are also being used by helicopters and planes to scoop up water.

The Horne Lake boat launch is closed, and boaters are reminded to stay within 100 metres of the shore and remain alert to avoid interrupting their flight patterns and water-capturing plans.

Dahl also reminded anyone planning on spending time at any mid-Island lake this weekend to pay attention and move to the shoreline if they hear a siren, plane, or helicopter nearby, as other lakes may be used in wildfire fighting efforts.

More smoke is expected from the Wesley Ridge wildfire over the weekend as it burns the remaining brush inside the perimeter. Photo from Aug. 8. (BC Wildfire Service)

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