Fires in the vicinity of Port Alberni, British Columbia, lead to evacuations and the shutdown of roads
A wildfire near Port Alberni, B.C., on Vancouver Island has reached about 8.6 square kilometres in size, forcing evacuations and closing the main road to the popular tourist destination of Bamfield. The fire is displaying behavior up to a rank-5 intensity, but recent rainfall and cooler temperatures have helped suppress the blaze, leading to the downgrade or lifting of some evacuation orders and alerts in the area.
The Mount Underwood wildfire is currently about 36 square kilometres (3,603 hectares) in size, showing minimal fire behavior primarily as smouldering ground fire with no significant growth expected beyond its current perimeter [1][2]. The fire has cut off the main road access to a community 90 kilometres southwest of the city, and the China Creek Campground and Marina, which has 250 tent and RV campsites, has been evacuated.
Efforts to contain the fire involve approximately 159 firefighting personnel, alongside seven helicopters and 21 heavy equipment pieces [2]. An incident management team is en route and will take over command of the situation by Thursday.
Despite the ongoing efforts, an evacuation order has been issued for about 300 properties in the sparsely populated area. The fire, while officially listed as "out of control," means it is not fully contained rather than indicating active spread and significant fire activity [2].
The fire behavior is currently low, ranked around 1 to 2 on the fire behavior scale, reflecting minimal flame and largely ground-level smouldering [2]. The weather conditions contributing to this reduced activity include recent rainfall and lower temperatures. No specific forecast details are provided in the sources, but the damp conditions from rain have been beneficial overall [1][2].
Tourists planning to visit Bamfield, a popular destination for sport fishing and hiking the West Coast Trail, are advised to avoid traveling to the area by any means of transportation as the highway between Port Alberni and Bamfield remains closed due to the wildfire.
This information is current as of August 20, 2025 [1][2][4].
| Aspect | Current Status | |-------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | Size | ~36 square kilometres (3,603 hectares) | | Fire behavior | Minimal; smouldering ground fire; Rank 1-2 | | Firefighting personnel | About 159 personnel, 7 helicopters, 21 heavy equipment | | Evacuation orders | Many issued for 300 properties | | Road access | Main road to Bamfield remains closed | | Weather | Recent rainfall (~8-8.4 mm) helped dampen fire activity | | Fire status | Out of control, but no expected growth beyond current perimeter|
[1] BC Wildfire Service
[2] CTV News Vancouver Island
[4] Port Alberni News
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