Image: Derrick Kramer, used with permission /

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Fire east of Chilliwack

Cultus Lake, Chilliwack River Valley Fire dispatched for fire east of Chilliwack; BC Wildfire sending attack crew

Sep 11, 2023 | 3:11 PM

CHILLIWACK — Volunteer crews from Cultus Lake Fire and Chilliwack River Valley spent a decent amount of time Monday afternoon (Sept. 11) trying to pinpoint and respond to the exact location of a fire somewhere between the Chilliwack River Valley and Cultus Lake side of the Chilliwack River.

Chilliwack River Valley and Cultus Lake volunteer firefighters were dispatched sometime after 2 p.m. for the report of smoke east of Chilliwack.

At least five CRVFD volunteers have responded, and Cultus Lake appears to have dispatched at least one crew, possibly two crews from Engine 1 and Rescue 1.

Cultus Lake Fire notified dispatch at 2:58 p.m. that it would be difficult for their volunteer firefighters to reach the fire, which they said appeared to be in the middle of the river. They advised dispatch they would need assistance.

At approximately 3 p.m., Cultus Lake Fire advised dispatch that the fire was about 50 by 50 feet and was candling up trees, and if Chilliwack River Valley Fire Department was not able to reach the fire, that help might be needed from forestry.

Vehicle incident

Vehicle in a ditch blocks 1 lane of Highway 1 in Chilliwack Monday morning

55m ago

Cable theft

Cable theft leaves Chilliwack nature reserve without phone service for nearly 2 weeks

1h ago

Special weather statement

Chilliwack and Abbotsford could get clobbered by high winds starting Tuesday

4h ago

RCMP have responded to the area as well.

At 3:03 p.m., Chilliwack River Valley asked dispatch to send a second page for additional manpower to assist them.

The approximate location is 46492 Chilliwack Lake Road, according to dispatch transmissions. However, this has not been confirmed by authorities as the exact location of the fire. Scanner transmissions may have indicated that CRVFD volunteers had to hike into the bush to find the exact location of the fire.

At 3:08 p.m., the CRVFD asked dispatch to notify BC Wildfire Service in case volunteer firefighters could not reach the fire.

At 3:16 p.m., dispatch notified CRVFD that it had been in contact with BC Wildfire Service; the provincial fire agency told dispatch it was wondering what kind of firefighting resources would be necessary to assist CRVFD.

Emergency dispatch provided CRVFD a 250 area code phone number/contact line for BC Wildfire at 3:17 p.m.

CRVFD advised dispatch at 3:24 p.m. that BC Wildfire will be sending an attack crew with a helicopter, with an expected time of arrival in about 20 minutes.

At 3:38 p.m., CRFVD notified dispatch that they would their move their staging area with Cultus Lake Fire farther west on Chilliwack Lake Road to an area near Bridlewood Events Centre.

BC Wildfire has arrived on scene at about 3:59 p.m. Per scanner transmission, BC Wildfire was looking for a place to land their helicopter. There are about five fire trucks between Cultus Lake Fire and Chilliwack River Valley Fire Department along Chilliwack Lake Road, west of On the Way store.

BC Ambulance Service (BCAS) arrived on scene on Chilliwack Lake Road sometime around 4:15 p.m., as BCAS had been requested due to the number of firefighters working on scene.

BC Wildfire Service has added this fire to its dashboard this afternoon, as if to indicate the fire is brand new.

Active suppression remains ongoing at 5 p.m. Firefighters have reportedly kept the fire to 100 feet by 50 feet.

As of 7:42 a.m. Tuesday morning, September 12, BC Wildfire has removed the fire from its dashboard, as if to suggest the fire has been suppressed and is out.