The wildfire burning south of Port McNeill has decreased to 10 hectares. The fire started Wednesday night north of Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park and is about 12 kilometres south of Port McNeill.
Coastal Fire had previously suspected the fire had grown to 20 hectares in size, but this turned out to be not the case.
“Yesterday there was a fair amount of smoke - so it’s hard to see what’s fire and what’s not fire,” said Coastal Fire Information Officer Donna McPherson. “They’ve had a good look at it, and it’s looking like it’s at the 10 hectare mark now.”
McPherson said the fire is located in an area with a lot of slash, or forestry byproduct, which is why the fire was initially burning quickly.
“Once it moves from the slash and into the healthy forest it’s not aggressive at all,” said MacPherson.
Coastal Fire currently has the wildfire 25 per cent contained.
McPherson said they are working hard on the containment because it’s expected to be windy in the afternoon and high winds have the potential to make wildfires more active.
BC Wildfire Service has deployed 35 firefighters and three fire officers as well as three helicopters to battle the fire.
