Within hours of it being first spotted, a forest fire on a slope near the China Creek Campground and Marina quickly grew to 630 hectares, forcing the evacuation of the site and the closure of the road to Bamfield.

By Tuesday morning the estimated size of the Mount Underwood fire was 859 hectares, according to an update from the B.C. Wildfire Service.

“It’s hot, it’s dry, we have a lot of resources on it today,” said Christi Howes, a fire information officer with the Coastal Fire Centre.

A forest fire has broken out south of Port Alberni, sending an enormous plume into the early evening sky at the end of a day that saw the temperature rise to 35 C.

On Monday, Aug. 11 residents stepped outside to get a look at the rapidly rising smoke, taking cell phone videos as trucks from the region’s fire departments rushed past in the direction of the blaze, filling the air with sirens.  

Twelve days after it was first reported, BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) has classified the Wesley Ridge wildfire at Cameron Lake as being held, according to a Monday, Aug. 11 update. 

BCWS says there was no growth on the Wesley Ridge wildfire yesterday. 

“The fire displayed mostly Rank 1 fire behaviour, which is a smouldering ground fire with no open flame. There were isolated pockets of Rank 2, which is a low-vigour surface fire with some visible flame and Rank 3, which is a moderately vigorous surface fire with visible flame,” states BCWS.

A recently published report led by University of Victoria (UVic) researchers reveals ocean heatwaves significantly impact marine ecosystems.

The research, published in Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review, is concerning for many, including Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations, since it also includes information on how future ocean warming will have additional negative impacts.

Time to batter up, Nuu-chah-nulth! It’s the 40th anniversary of the Tlu-piich Games this week in Port Alberni, Aug. 11 to 14.

Hosted by the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC), the annual Tlu-piich (meaning summer) Games are all about bringing communities together for friendly sports competition, culture and fun times.

“We finally got the swimming pool back this year. Every year it’s been closed because of maintenance. We’re going to have races, toddler swim and water basketball,” said Tlu-piich Games Operations Co-ordinator Deanna Samuel. 

Police are seeking witnesses after a body was found inside burned vehicle in the early morning hours on Aug. 6.

“Port Alberni RCMP members were called to the 3700 block of 4th Avenue to assist the Port Alberni Fire Department with a vehicle fire. Once the fire was extinguished, Port Alberni RCMP officers located unidentified human remains within the vehicle,” reads a statement issued by RCMP on Aug. 7.

Ucluelet resident Brandon Halvorson was on vacation when a black bear popped off the plastic cover to his dog door, squeezed through the hole and ate $500 worth of freezer food – plus about an ounce of weed.

After looking over his power bill, Halvorson thinks the food-conditioned animal likely came into his home on July 17 or 18. 

A grey whale came to the shore of Yuquot on Aug. 2, exposing its fins above the surf as the massive animal rolled against the pebbled floor below the surface. The visitation seemed appropriate, as a celebration was underway on the site of the ancient Mowachaht village, where societies subsisted off the passing cetaceans for thousands of years.

In recognition of National Drowning Prevention Week, the B.C. Coroners Service has released its latest report on accidental drowning deaths in the province. Port Alberni makes renewed efforts to promote water safety. 

In 2024 British Columbia recorded 98 accidental drowning deaths, with the four summer months from June to September accounting for 52 of them, according to the B.C. Coroners Service.

A forest fire that has been climbing the slope at Cameron Lake benefitted from some rain today, a much-needed natural intervention as crews work through the night to control its spread.

Since it was first spotted on the morning of Thursday, July 31 the Wesley Ridge fire has grown to over 500 hectares. After a few days of rapid growth to the blaze on the north side of Cameron Lake, the BC Wildfire Service reported “minimal growth” overnight on Aug. 4, with much of the 511 hectares affected being a smouldering ground fire with no open flame.