An attack crew has been dispatched to Quadra Island to combat a new wildfire that is currently burning out of control. The fire, referred to as the Village Bay Lake fire, is estimated to be around three hectares in size. As of Thursday at 8:30 p.m., no evacuation alerts or orders have been issued, and the cause of the fire is still unknown.
The Strathcona Regional District has issued an advisory through the Alertable application, stating that parts of Electoral Area C are affected. They are advising people to stay away from the area and not to call 911 for updates. Instead, information can be found on the BC Wildfire Service website or through the Coastal Fire Centre Information Officer line.
In addition to the initial attack crew, two helicopters and three Bird-Dog tanker planes have been sent to contain the fire. The Village Bay Lake fire was detected on Thursday, as the BC Wildfire Service warned residents of British Columbia to prepare for what could be the most challenging two days of an already record-breaking wildfire season.
Currently, there are 374 wildfires burning across the province, with over 2,500 people being forced to evacuate their homes in West Kelowna alone. The B.C. government provides advice on how to prepare for an evacuation, an updated list of emergency alerts, and a link to emergency support services on their website.
(Source: BC Wildfire Service)