UPDATE 11:00 am July 3: Sunshine Coast Regional District officials say they’re preparing to put 18 properties in Carlson Point, near the Sechelt wildfire under evacuation alert. There are about 8 people currently in residence, and some have left voluntarily.
The fire is currently between 8 and 10 hectares, and SCRD Emergency Program Coordinator Bill Elsner says if conditions don’t change they expect the fire will grow today.
The Coastal Fire Centre is in charge of the firefighting effort, and they have crews on the ground and in the air.
The SCRD is posting information for residents, including advice from the Canadian Lung Association for those worried about the smoke in the area.
Elsner is also encouraging homeowners to use the opportunity to ensure roofs and eavestroughs are clear of dried debris, and that combustible debris in yards and gardens is cleaned up. The fire has been dropping ash in several areas and the Sechelt Fire Department says it’s going to do patrols to ensure it doesn’t spark any fresh fires.
PREVIOUS UPDATE: Ladysmith officials say crews have managed to contain the fire near the Nanaimo Airport, and evacuees have been allowed to return home although they’re still on alert.
Firefighters are now mopping up, but the fire is still considered active.
And, Cedar Road is now re-opened between Hill Road and Homestead Way.
Sunshine Coast Regional District officials are planning an update on the Sechelt fire at 10am
PREVIOUS UPDATE: Crews are still at work on the two wildfires in our region.
Fire Information Officer Marg Drysdale says the Sechelt fire has grown since Thursday evening:
Drysdale says Coastal Fire Centre crews are in a support role on the fire near the Nanaimo Airport, and will be there again today.
ORIGINAL STORY: The Town of Ladysmith is reopening the Emergency Social Services Centre set up to help evacuees from the wildfire in the Cedar/Cassidy area at 6am Friday morning.
At its biggest Thursday the fire was at 20 hectares, according to the North Oyster Fire Department. Crews from the North Oyster, Ladysmith, Cedar and Cranberry departments have been fighting the blaze with back-up from the Wildfire Management Branch.
As of midnight Thursday they had it contained.
Investigators say it was started by hay cutting.
Cedar Road remains closed between the Chuckwagon and Hill Road, and an evacuation order remains in place for several homes in the area.
Ladysmith officials say that although the Emergency Social Services Centre had a few calls, nobody actually needed to spend the night.
The Centre is at Frank Jameson Community Centre. You can reach it at 250-245-6417.
Updates will be posted as they are available on the Town website at www.ladysmith.ca or via Facebook.
That fire near the Nanaimo Airport broke out around the same time as a fire off the north end of Mason Road in Sechelt, near the old mine site.
Donna MacPherson of the Coastal Fire Centre says with the hot, dry weather and extreme danger risk they’d been bracing for multiple fire starts.
The Sunshine Coast Regional District says the Sechelt fire grew to about 8 hectares Thursday night.
District of Sechelt officials say it is not threatening structures, and RCMP confirm there are no evacuation orders/alerts, however RCM SAR volunteers were sent out to the water access only properties in the Carlson Point area to advise the residents to be ready in case the situation changes.
Wind shifts in the late evening led to reports of smoke and ash as far away as Gibsons.
RCMP say it appears the fire was person caused, but the details are not confirmed.
