Boaters told to stay off lakes, drivers warned of delays near Vancouver Island wildfire

Officials are urging boaters to stay off lakes and warning drivers of possible delays on Highway 4 near a raging wildfire on Vancouver Island that has prompted evacuation orders for people on hundreds of properties.

The Wesley Ridge wildfire has grown to an estimated 389 hectares, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS), and is among nearly 150 wildfires burning around the province. It is suspected to have been caused by human activity.

At a news conference on Sunday, fire information officer Madison Dahl said 142 personnel were responding to the fire on the north banks of Cameron Lake, about 50 kilometres northwest of Nanaimo. That city, with a population of about 120,000, is about 90 kilometres northwest of Victoria. 

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) said 393 mostly residential properties are under evacuation order, which means residents are required to leave immediately.

Another 238 properties are under evacuation alert, meaning residents need to be ready to leave at a moment's notice.

A post on B.C. Parks' website said an evacuation order was in place for all of Little Qualicum Falls Park, which has two campgrounds, trails and picnic facilities.

Douglas Holmes, director of the emergency operations centre for the RDN, is urging boaters to stay off Cameron, Spider and Horne lakes.

Those lakes near the Wesley Ridge blaze are being used by helicopters and firefighting aircraft to refill with water, according to officials.

"Any interaction between those aircraft and a personal watercraft,... at best, will delay the fire response and, at worst, will be a very difficult and dangerous interaction that we really, really must avoid," he said at the news conference.

"So please, please use common sense in this regard."

Highway 4 traffic flow may be interrupted

In a statement Sunday evening, the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure said Highway 4, the longest east-west vehicle route on the island, may see sudden traffic interruptions as crews fight the fire. 

The road remains open for now, but traffic-control personnel have been stationed in key locations in case the wildfire service requests immediate closures. 

"Travellers should plan for extra time as any change to highway operation may cause delays. Travellers are not permitted to stop along Highway 4," the statement read.

Dahl said the fire along Cameron Lake was burning in inaccessible and challenging terrain "with large amounts of available timber."

"It is going to continue to produce smoke as the fire consumes fuels along the slope," she said.

The region is expected to get cooler in the next few days, but Dahl said the area is in a period of drought. There might be some rain on Wednesday, but a significant amount would be needed to make a difference in the fire.