Crews continue to battle Wesley Ridge blaze, B.C. Wildfire Service says

Crews continue to battle an out-of-control wildfire that has prompted evacuations on Vancouver Island, the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) said in an update Saturday.

Fire information officer Madison Dahl says recent hot weather is fueling the Wesley Ridge blaze.

“We anticipate smoke in the forecast as the fire behaviour increases with heat and consumes the available fuels,” Dahl said.

“The majority of this smoke is coming from well within the perimeter of the fire, where it is accessing unburned areas and creating all of that smoke.”

Hundreds of people remain on evacuation orders and alerts in the area, says Lisa Grant, the general manager of development and emergency services for the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN).

“There remain 294 addresses on evacuation order, 353 addresses on evacuation alert,” Grant said Saturday.

“We are working hard to enable residents on evacuation order in Little Qualicum River Village below Warn Way to return to their homes by Aug. 11.”

Dahl says nearly 200 firefighters and other personnel are responding to the blaze.

“We continue to work towards containing the Wesley Ridge wildfire and ensuring ongoing protection of residences, properties, critical infrastructure, and other key values,” she said.

As of Saturday, the Wesley Ridge blaze is the only wildfire of note in B.C. It was discovered July 31 and sits at 580 hectares in size. The RDN issued an evacuation on Aug. 2.

The BCWS says it is believed to be human-caused.