State of Emergency Declared on Vancouver Island Due to Raging Wildfire

State of Emergency Declared on Vancouver Island Due to Raging Wildfire
A helicopter refills a bucket of water near Cameron Lake off Highway 4 where the Wesley Ridge wildfire continues to burn near Coombs, B.C., on Aug. 3, 2025. The Canadian Press/Chad Hipolito
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The City of Port Alberni has issued a local state of emergency as a “precautionary measure” due to the raging Mount Underwood Wildfire located south of the Port Alberni community on Vancouver Island.

Port Alberni Mayor Sharie Minions announced the city was issuing a state of emergency after several evacuation alerts had been issued in the area, in an Aug. 12 Facebook post. She noted that the alerts were issued as a “precautionary measure” and that residents should be ready to leave the area on short notice should the situation worsen.