A wildfire west of Sayward on northeast Vancouver Island had grown to an estimated 90 hectares by Tuesday morning after being reported as a 15-hectare blaze Monday afternoon.
Classified as out of control, the blaze at Newcastle Creek, about 5.6 kilometres west of Sayward, is the biggest wildfire on the Island so far this fire season, which began April 1.
The fire is burning in slash, with flames fanned by strong winds in the area. Like most fires at this time of year, it is believed to be human-caused, although the exact cause remains under investigation.
Coastal Fire Centre information officer Nick Donnelly said cooler temperatures and higher humidity are expected over the next few days, “which is good news for the firefighters.”
Donnelly said winds in the area of the fire have been pushing it parallel to Sayward, a village of about 350 located approximately 75 kilometres north of Campbell River. No homes or other buildings are currently at risk.
The fire centre isn’t yet recommending evacuation alerts for the community of Sayward, he said. “However the town is being impacted by smoke, as are other parts of the Island.”
Three helicopters and about 55 firefighters were at the scene Tuesday, Donnelly said.
No rain is forecast in the area until at least the weekend, he said.
If it rains, it’s likely to be just light showers, said Environment Canada meteorologist Bobby Sekhon.
A special air-quality statement has been issued for the eastern part of the Island due to the Sayward fire.
The statement is currently in effect from Sayward south to Duncan, but conditions along the east coast of Vancouver Island are highly variable, depending on local winds, Sekhon said.
A similar statement was issued for the southern Gulf Islands.
The statements warn that smoke exposure could affect health, and recommends drinking “lots of water” to help the body cope with smoke.
Also on the Island, a fire reported Sunday north of the Englishman River has been declared out after burning 0.2 hectares, while a spot fire at Hyde Creek near Port McNeill remains under control.
“We’ll continue to periodically monitor it until it’s called out,” Donnelly said.
Another spot fire was reported Tuesday in the Campbell River area and is listed as out of control. It is being handled by the forest industry rather than the B.C. Wildfire Service, Donnelly said.
All three of the smaller fires are suspected to be human-caused, as well.
