By Canadian Press

Vancouver Island wildfire downgraded again, no longer a fire of note

Aug 22, 2025 | 9:41 AM

PORT ALBERNI — A wildfire near Port Alberni, B.C., that spurred evacuations and a state of local emergency last week has been downgraded again, leaving the province without any wildfires of note.

The BC Wildfire Service says the Mount Underwood fire lost fire-of-note status, meaning it’s no longer “especially visible” or posing a threat to public safety, after it was doused by 40 millimetres of rain over the past week.

The service said on Wednesday the fire was being held, meaning it was not expected to spread beyond its current 35-square-kilometre size.

The fire had shown aggressive growth in its first days since being discovered on Aug. 11, forcing the sudden evacuation of a nearby campground and leading to several other evacuation orders and alerts.

The road between Port Alberni and nearby Bamfield remains closed, and communities say they are facing challenges getting propane needed for generators because some truck drivers are refusing to use an alternative forestry road.

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BC Hydro says it is making good progress on restoring power to the area and may be able to complete the work a few days earlier than the original projected goal of Aug. 30.

There are about 60 active wildfires in B.C., and only two in the province’s northeast remain out of control.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2025.

The Canadian Press