{"id":116393,"date":"2025-08-03T19:51:18","date_gmt":"2025-08-03T19:51:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/116393\/"},"modified":"2025-08-03T19:51:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-03T19:51:18","slug":"rain-relief-officials-hope-incoming-precipitation-will-aid-wesley-ridge-wildfire-battle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/116393\/","title":{"rendered":"Rain relief? Officials hope incoming precipitation will aid Wesley Ridge wildfire battle"},"content":{"rendered":"

B.C. wildfire crews continue to battle the Wesley Ridge wildfire at Cameron Lake, with personnel prioritizing the protection of those who live nearby.<\/p>\n

Crews are providing \u201c24-hour wildfire operations\u201d on the blaze that measures 389 hectares, according to the latest update on the BC Wildfire Service website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, August 3, operations will continue to prioritize protection of residences, values and critical infrastructure,\u201d the update reads.<\/p>\n

It says the fire is burning out of control, which means it\u2019s spreading or anticipated to spread \u201cbeyond the current perimeter, or control line.\u201d<\/p>\n

In total, 142 personnel are responding, notes BCWS information officer Madison Dahl.<\/p>\n

The website says 67 firefighters are on scene, along with seven aircraft and as many pieces of heavy equipment.<\/p>\n

Dahl says forecast rain will offer relief to the fire fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, we continue to see a return to seasonal temperatures and small recoveries for the minimum RH (relative humidity) values through the weekend. This pattern is slowly changing, so the area doesn\u2019t have any sudden or dynamic weather features that change conditions this weekend, other than cooler temperatures,\u201d she said Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to continue to stay dry for the next few days. Overnight, the winds have been quite variable \u2026 they do remain light, though,\u201d added Dahl.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe may see some rain to arrive on Wednesday. We will require a significant amount of rainfall to make significant changes to the fire behaviour.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

SATURDAY STORY: <\/strong>Wesley Ridge wildfire spreads to 389 hectares Saturday evening<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Overnight, ground crews used a direct attack to cool the fire in all wildland-urban interface areas, the BCWS says, but the south edge of the fire along the lake is \u201cburning in inaccessible and challenging terrain,\u201d where there\u2019s ample timber.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will continue to produce smoke as the fire consumes fuel on the slopes of Wesley Ridge,\u201d it says. Fire departments from across Vancouver Island are responding, with defence task forces \u201cfocused on the protection of properties and infrastructure\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more below<\/p>\n

\"\"Wesley Ridge wildfire photo by Colby Rex O\u2019Neill. (Facebook)<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s just really surreal\u2019<\/p>\n

Local photographer Colby Rex O\u2019Neill says he hasn\u2019t been able to sleep at night as the fire burns not far from his house.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt nighttime, I\u2019m restless and wondering if it\u2019s spreading,\u201d he said Sunday, adding that he\u2019s been going out when it\u2019s dark and snapping photos of the fire.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThe dramatic images help raise awareness. It doesn\u2019t look like that to the naked eye,\u201d O\u2019Neill told CHEK News, \u201cbut it feels like it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The fire was discovered on July 31, and it\u2019s believed to be human-caused, though such investigations \u201coften take time and can be very complex,\u201d the BCWS says.<\/p>\n

On Saturday afternoon, more residents were forced to evacuate their homes after the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) expanded an evacuation order<\/a> to include additional properties in the Little Qualicum Village area, as well as Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park and the north side of Cameron Lake.<\/p>\n

That means 393 properties are under an evacuation order, and the RDN says a reception centre at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre, 747 Jones St., is open 24\/7 for evacuees.<\/p>\n

\"\"Evacuation order (red); evacuation alert (yellow).<\/p>\n

A few hours later, additional properties in the Little Qualicum River Village area were included in the RDN\u2019s evacuation alert<\/a>, meaning \u201canyone in this area must be ready to leave on short notice,\u201d according to the EmergencyInfoBC website.<\/p>\n

Around 4:40 p.m. Saturday, \u201cthere (were) no reported homes lost from responding agencies on the ground,\u201d RDN spokesperson Rebecca Taylor said.<\/p>\n

Neither BCWS nor the RDN were able to provide an update on potential property damage Sunday morning.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Neill\u2019s property is one of the 238 on alert.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just really surreal,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t expect it to happen again after one happened there two years ago. This is like 10 times worse. The last one seemed more intense; it closed down the highway. But that fire was small in comparison,\u201d added O\u2019Neill.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t nearly as close to our house. I\u2019m a little numb to it, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

2023 STORY: <\/strong>Firefighter injured, businesses struggle as Cameron Bluffs wildfire keeps highway closed<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Highway 4 still open, but drivers should use caution<\/p>\n

Highways 4 and 19 remain open, according to DriveBC<\/a>, and Douglas Holmes with the RDN is urging commuters to drive to conditions and not stop along the roads.<\/p>\n

DriveBC says there is \u201climited visibility due to smoke.\u201d<\/p>\n

The BCWS on Sunday says large-scale water delivery systems are being established, and heavy equipment is working to create control lines in workable ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cAircraft will continue water delivery to cool the fire, creating a safer working environment for ground crews,\u201d the wildfire service said.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s reminding the public that Cameron Lake is currently closed to all recreational watercraft, \u201cto allow for safe skimming and bucketing operations.\u201d The BCWS says it\u2019s working closely with the RDN, as well as the Coombs and Dashwood fire departments.<\/p>\n

Horne Lake and Spider Lake are also being used for bucketing, the RDN says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe operation of drones near an active wildfire is illegal and extremely dangerous, especially when low-flying firefighting aircraft are present. Transport Canada and the BC Wildfire Service explicitly prohibit the use of drones of any size near a wildfire,\u201d the update reads. \u201cViolating these rules jeopardizes the lives of aircrews and those on the ground and could interfere with fire suppression activities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Check the BCWS website<\/a> for updates. The RDN posts evacuation order\/alert notices here<\/a>. Find the latest driving conditions on the DriveBC website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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