Heavy smoke and flame activity still persists from the Cameron Bluffs wildfire, on the shores of Cameron Lake. This photo was taken late Tuesday evening. (submitted photo/Jenelle Dymtruk)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

fire update

‘Rolling debris and danger trees’ challenging crews at Cameron Bluffs wildfire

Jun 7, 2023 | 2:20 PM

NANAIMO — Dangerous conditions for crews trying to douse growing flames on central Vancouver Island are being described by Coastal Fire Centre personnel.

The Cameron Bluffs wildfire, along Hwy. 4 above Cameron Lake, grew to 140 hectares on Wednesday, June 7 and continues to burn out of control. The BC Wildfire Service considers the situation a wildfire of note, one of five in the province.

Kimberly Kelly, information officer with the Coastal Fire Centre, told a Wednesday, June 7 news conference 26 firefighters are on scene, along with five helicopters and air tankers.

“Crews and equipment are working on supporting direct and indirect strategies. The fire is in steep terrain and crews are being challenged by rolling debris and danger trees.”

Kelly said the situation is considered a “rank three” fire, meaning flames are “progressing in an organized manner” and at a “moderate rate of speed”, according to the BC Wildfire Service.

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She added “occasional candling” is occurring at the site, which sees flames shoot directly up affected trees.

Flames are not currently threatening nearby Cathedral Grove, containing old growth forest, with the nearest border of the fire is roughly four kilometres away.

FIre information officer Kimberly Kelly offers an update on the Cameron Bluffs wildfire on Wednesday, June 7. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Firefighting operations are occurring around the clock in a bid to gain a measure of control. Kelly would not say whether any percentage of the fire’s boundary was considered contained.

All crews on site are from the Coastal Fire Centre, including air resources, according to Kelly.

“The aviation resources that we have on site are the bird dog, which is a scanning plane, the air tankers and water skimmers so it is a full aviation resource fire. Where appropriate, they will drop fire retardant. The purpose of the fire retardant is to slow down the fires to allow the crews to establish stronger control lines.”

Growth of the fire led to fallen trees and rocks spilling onto Hwy. 4 late Tuesday afternoon, prompting a closure which could last days.

A detour was established Wednesday morning to take travellers between Port Alberni and eastern Vancouver Island through Lake Cowichan.

The detour adds four hours to the usual travel time through winding forest service roads.

Vancouver Island RCMP reported a dramatic increase in vehicle traffic through Lake Cowichan Wednesday, while Port Alberni Fire Department said they were responding to a rollover MVI at approximately the midway point of the detour just before 2 p.m.

There is no information available on an estimated re-opening of Hwy. 4.

Latest updates will be published on the DriveBC website.

The Cameron Bluffs fire, considered human caused, was first discovered on Sunday.

The fire quickly grew from an initial estimate of 20 hectares on Monday in part due to strong winds.

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