Hwy 4 on Vancouver Island to be closed for at least another week, B.C. transport minister says
Cameron Bluffs wildfire burning above the area's only major east-west route
The only highway serving the western Vancouver Island municipalities of Port Alberni, Tofino, Ucluelet and communities in the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Nation will remain closed for at least another week as a wildfire above the road continues to cause concern.
The province's Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure said it expects single-lane alternating traffic to resume by Saturday, June 24.
"The impact of the fire has been significant," said Rob Fleming, B.C.'s transportation minister, at a news conference in Chilliwack, B.C., on Tuesday afternoon. "We know that Highway 4 is a vital connection.
"We are anxious to get the road open as quickly as possible… We cannot open the highway until we know the travelling public will be safe."
He said the steep slope above the highway has made the fire "particularly dangerous" as rocks, trees and other debris have fallen onto the highway.
Even when the fire is put out, Fleming warned, it will still take some time to ensure the cliff face is stable.
"We expect the highway to be fully closed for at least another week," he said. But even after it reopens, he expects single-lane alternating traffic for "some time" through the affected area beside Cameron Lake.
The fire remains relatively small at just over 2.5 square kilometres, the B.C. Wildfire Service estimates, an area that has held steady for several days.
Nearly 100 firefighters and four helicopters are battling the fire, which is considered "being held" and not growing, officials said.
"Fire behaviour is decreased and is currently displaying a smouldering ground fire with some open flame," the B.C. Wildfire Service said in the latest update on the blaze Tuesday morning.
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Yet despite its relatively small size compared to many of B.C.'s other 76 active fires, the area where it's burning above Highway 4 is of chief concern.
Coastal Fire Centre spokesperson Donna MacPherson told CBC News on Sunday that with fires, "location is everything."
"Assessments are underway to monitor the danger of falling trees and debris on the highway and to assess slope conditions," the B.C. Wildfire Service said in a statement on Monday.
The Cameron Bluffs wildfire is burning nearly four kilometres east of the popular Cathedral Grove park, and investigators believe it was sparked near the end of a logging road roughly one kilometre south of the Beaufort picnic area on the shores of Cameron Lake. Its cause is unknown.
Environment Canada is forecasting rain for western parts of Vancouver Island starting on Thursday night, bringing hope that the fire will be further subdued as a result.
On Tuesday evening, B.C. Hydro said more than 15,000 residents in the Port Alberni area were without power after a transmission circuit failure. It came shortly after thunderstorms rolled through the area.
Detour details
Last week, a long, arduous detour was put in place following the closure of Highway 4 on Tuesday afternoon.
The province cautioned the detour should only be used for essential travel.
The route extends travel time by hours and features rough roads and some single-lane bridges. There is no cellphone service along the way.
On Friday the detour was shut down at 1 p.m. for hours so that crews could remove a commercial vehicle that had rolled into Francis Lake.
Upon reopening the route Friday night, the province put in place piloted departures to and from Port Alberni for commercial vehicles, four times a day, to improve safety and efficiency along the detour.
Commercial vehicles are permitted to travel outside of the scheduled departures without pilot vehicles if they choose.
The province also said other drivers will be placed behind the convoys because the priority is the movement of essential supplies, such as fuel and food into cut-off communities.
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With files from Chad Pawson