By Canadian Press

BC Hydro says power restored for more than 500 customers on Vancouver Island

Aug 23, 2025 | 6:00 PM

PORT ALBERNI — BC Hydro says crews have restored power for more than 500 customers in Bamfield on Vancouver Island after a wildfire caused extensive damage to infrastructure outside Port Alberni.

BC Hydro says in a statement that dozens of technicians and vegetation management personnel have been working since Aug. 16 to fix the fire-damaged infrastructure and were confronted with extremely challenging terrain impacted by the Mount Underwood wildfire.

It says crews put in 63 new poles and 65 new power lines along a six-kilometre stretch, portions of which were on “steep, unstable terrain,” and the most challenging part has a temporary fix that will be made permanent when conditions improve.

The company’s Vancouver Island community relations manager Ted Olynyk says crews faced “extremely challenging conditions,” and thanked customers for their support and patience.

The province’s transportation ministry says Bamfield Road remains closed after being rendered unsafe by the Mount Underwood wildfire, and there’s no estimate as to when it will reopen.

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“Falling rocks, dangerous trees and a fire-damaged slope are presenting exceptionally challenging conditions, and there is no timeline for reopening the road in its current configuration,” the ministry said in a statement.

It said the 76-kilometre road is both publicly and privately owned, and the ministry is working with Mosaic Forest Management, which manages part of the route, to come up with a plan to reopen the road.

The BC Wildfire Service says the Mount Underwood wildfire is being held at a size of about 35 square kilometres, and it’s one out of more than 60 blazes currently burning around the province.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 23, 2025.

The Canadian Press