Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / A bus reportedly blew a tire and burst into heavy flames Thursday morning at 44408 Vedder Mountain Road, prompting at least 8-10 Chilliwack Fire Department engines. The fire reportedly spread to a nearby home as well.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Bus burns on Vedder Mountain Rd.

Bus bursts into flames on Vedder Mountain Road, school kids OK

Jun 8, 2023 | 10:00 AM

**UPDATE at 1:24 p.m.: Power has been restored for most residents of the area, however, 184 customers of the Vedder Mountain Road area are still without power. B.C. Hydro estimates that power will be back on for these 184 customers by 3 p.m. today.

**UPDATE at 11:19 a.m.: Power has been disconnected as the result of this fire. Approximately 2,481 customers are without power in the neighbourhoods along Vedder Mountain Road, Chilliwack Lake Road, Baker Trails, and parts of Vedder Crossing. The last update from B.C. Hydro was 11:14 a.m. Hydro crews are on scene.

**UPDATE at 11 a.m.: Chilliwack RCMP Sgt. Krista Vrolyk says the tour bus that burst into flames had been transporting West Vancouver elementary students to a field trip this morning. RCMP confirmed the students are OK. They have continued on to their field trip at Cultus Lake.**

**UPDATE at 10:43 a.m.: The City of Chilliwack wrote on Facebook this morning that the Vedder Mountain fire has been largely contained and doesn’t appear to have spread to the nearby forested area. No injuries have been reported. B.C. Wildfire Service is also monitoring the situation.**

Original story below: 

New Chilliwack attraction to open

Chilliwack attraction to partially open its doors this weekend

8h ago

The 2025 wildfire season is on track to be Canada's 2nd-worst on record

10h ago

Fraser Valley road project

Heavy traffic anticipated this weekend on Hwy. 1 due to Fraser Valley road project

13h ago

CHILLIWACK — At least 8-10 Chilliwack Fire Department engines have been dispatched Thursday morning to 44408 Vedder Mountain Road in Chilliwack after a charter tour bus reportedly blew a tire and burst into flames completely, and flames spread to a nearby structure.

The fire broke out at approximately 9:20 a.m. Multiple fire engines, including Engine 1, Engine 4, Engine 3-2, Rescue 1, Air Support 4, tenders, and other fire vehicles, have been dispatched ever since the fire broke out. The sound of sirens has been circulating almost non-stop in Sardis, Cultus Lake, and Yarrow ever since the dispatch first came at 9:22 a.m.

Multiple explosions could be heard in the vicinity of the bus blaze, as dark smoke billowed into the air above Vedder Mountain. The bus was fully engulfed and possibly spread to cedars and a nearby home, according to emergency scanner traffic.

Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media

A group of school-aged kids were seen walking away from the area on the south side of Vedder Mountain Road at 9:30 a.m., well before secondary Chilliwack fire engines began arriving on scene. They did not appear to be harmed. They were accompanied by adults.

The torched vehicle is a tour bus that was transporting students from a West Vancouver elementary school to a field trip. They have since proceeded to Cultus Lake for their field trip.

A picture (above) shows the front of the tour bus completely engulfed in flames as Chilliwack Fire Department personnel hustled to suppress the fire.

One neighbour in the 44400 block of Vedder Mountain Road reported hearing several explosions once the bus caught fire.

RCMP has been dispatched to the scene. B.C. Hydro has been contacted by dispatchers.

It is unknown if the power lines along Vedder Mountain Road are still functional, though B.C. Hydro does not show power outages in the area as of 10:15 a.m.

Fire engines continue to respond to the area. Traffic will be blocked through the area throughout the morning.