Fast-moving wildfire burning on Vancouver Island near Nanaimo

LADYSMITH (NEWS 1130) — A fast-moving wildfire between Nanaimo and Ladysmith on Vancouver Island that started Thursday afternoon has grown to 70 hectares.

Highly visible from Highway 1, the Mt. Hayes fire is burning about 4.5 kilometres northwest of Ladysmith, and about 5 kilomteres away from the Nanaimo Airport. Not yet classified as a “wildfire of note,” it is the only out-of-control fire on the Island. It was initially reported around 1 p.m.

From my front yard. #nanaimo #ladysmith #BCWildfire pic.twitter.com/FEtzWnTPlj

— Pinnapls (@BigDaddyPinnapl) August 20, 2021

Fire Information Officer Gordon Robinson says the blaze saw significant growth since it was sparked, largely due to tinder-dry conditions and wind.

“Most of that growth the fire has experienced has been downslope and away from structures. We don’t want to see that kind of growth, but if it’s going to grow that much, it’s going in the best direction it can,” he explained Friday.

Fire near Ladysmith close to Oyster Bay Area up Takala rd. #forestfires #ladysmith pic.twitter.com/Q0XYLe8haR

— SXWITHY (@sxwithultxw) August 20, 2021

The fire was first reported at around 20 hectares in size Thursday evening.

As of Friday morning, about 30 firefighters, two helicopters, and two pieces of equipment had been assigned to fight the fire. More resources will be added throughout the day.

“During flying hours, we had four helicopters and a number of air tankers working on the fire, as well bucketing and laying retardant lines,” Robinson said Thursday.

That’s a big fire near Ladysmith. View from the highway. pic.twitter.com/e7nRCk9Wnv

— sarahpetrescufernandes (@sarahpvictoria) August 20, 2021

Just drove to #Ladysmith to check on my Grandma who lives in Cassidy close to Mt. Hayes. Very scary to see the fire so close to homes and farms…thank you to all those firefighters battling this growing blaze and keeping people safe pic.twitter.com/BloTKMJsNB

— MegBeau (@megbeau) August 20, 2021

No cause has been determined yet.

“Most fires on the coast are human-caused. We don’t know what’s caused this one yet, but every human-caused fire is preventable. I do want to thank everybody who has seen a column of smoke and called it in,” Robinson explained previously.

“That early reporting really lets our initial attackers get into fires quickly, and stop them from growing.”

https://twitter.com/ExpediteRevenue/status/1428503324735594496

Driving through #Ladysmith we saw a huge column of smoke rising from the forest just a few kilometres off the highway.

Even on Vancouver Island, the smoke from #BCwildfires is blocking out the sun! News are reporting this as another ‘out of control’ fire in #BC. #ClimateCrisis pic.twitter.com/UpfJgyljCl

— Steve Baynes (@stevebaynes) August 20, 2021

The Mt. Hayes fire is currently burning on the other side of the mountain from an LNG facility.

“That facility is pretty much due west of the point of ignition of the fire and the fire’s been burning in kind of a south-west direction,” explained Robinson.

Differing conditions on Vancouver Island and the mainland

While many parts of the province are seeing explosive growth in wildfires due to tinder dry conditions, Robinson notes landscapes are different on the Island.

However, that doesn’t mean there’s no risk.

“The nature of the forest on the Island is different from the Interior, so we don’t really see the kind of explosive growth that some of those Interior fires have,” he told NEWS 1130. “But with conditions as dry and the fire danger as high as it is right now, there certainly is a potential for fires to start easily and grow very quickly.”

He notes Vancouver Island has been “fortunate so far this year” in that fires have been reportedly quickly and addressed in a timely manner.

“We’ve actually had a fairly above-average number of fires on the coast this year but we’ve managed, mostly, to keep them pretty small, which is important to prevent those fires and keep them from growing so we can continue to support the harder-hit parts of the province,” Robinson said.

#BCWildfire Update*:
• 254 wildfires burning in BC
• 75 evacuation orders for 4,951 properties
• 118 evacuation alerts (-4) for 19,653 properties
• 858,292 hectares burned
• 3,728 active firefighters & crew
*Data from Aug 19, 7PM
More info & supports: https://t.co/cedkmvbJ5G pic.twitter.com/62HmTJClvQ

— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) August 20, 2021

As of Thursday evening, there were more than 250 wildfires burning across the province, which have placed thousands of people on evacuation alert — including the entire city of Merritt. So far this year, more than 858,000 hectares have been lost to fires across the province.

The BC Wildfire Service says more than 3,700 firefighters and other personnel, including hundreds from outside the province, are battling wildfires in all areas of B.C., with the focus on the hard-hit Kamloops and Southeast fire centres.

With conditions remaining extreme, people are being reminded to be cautious with any outdoor activities that have the potential to spark flames. You’re also told to report any signs of smoke or fire to 1.800.663.5555 or *5555 on a cellphone.

-With files from The Canadian Press and Dean Recksiedler