B.C. and West Vancouver crews making progress on Eagle Ridge fire
Wildfire sparked Friday morning is in a heavily wooded area further north than first reported
Firefighting crews were able to gain ground access and contain a wildfire that broke out Friday morning east of Horseshoe Bay.
Donna Powers, communications director for the District of West Vancouver, said while smoke was initially reported to be coming from the slopes of Cypress Falls Park near the neighbourhood of Caulfeild, the fire is actually burning further north on Eagle Ridge.
"It's in a remote forested area, just southwest of Eagle Lake," said Powers. "That means that this fire is not posing any danger to residents or businesses."
Powers said the fire grew to two hectares on Friday. Crews initially responded with a bucketing operation handled by helicopters. By Friday afternoon, ground crews had cut a one-kilometre trail through the forest to give firefighters direct access.
"We were really able to contain it — it didn't grow," said Powers, adding that low temperatures and little wind overnight Friday also helped prevent the fire from spreading.
"Ground crews are continuing to fight since sunup [Saturday] and they're making good progress," she said.
Crews are making good progress fighting the Eagle Ridge fire. Cool temperatures and no wind are working in our favour & it remains contained. Some trails remain closed until further notice but Whyte Lake is open. Learn more: <a href="https://t.co/SSfq1tKKrM">https://t.co/SSfq1tKKrM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WestVan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WestVan</a>
—@WestVanFireDeptPower said ongoing drought conditions across Metro Vancouver remain a source of concern
She said around 33 firefighters were involved in operations at Eagle Ridge on Friday, with a similar crew on-site Saturday, including 25 members of the B.C. Wildfire Service and eight firefighters from West Vancouver Fire & Rescue.
Tanker trucks are bringing in water and Powers said, as of Saturday morning, the fire "remained contained."
"Even after the fire is extinguished, we're going to have two hectares of a hot spot in the forest," said Powers.
While she says fire officials are "optimistic" that the fire will be put out in the coming days, the area will have to be monitored for at least another week.
An air quality advisory issued Thursday by Environment Canada for Metro Vancouver and the Central Fraser Valley remained in effect Saturday, with the Eagle Ridge fire contributing to already hazy conditions due to other fires near Chilliwack, Hope, Harrison Lake and south of the border in Washington state.
"Even though the smoke from this fire is greatly diminished, it's not going away," said Powers.