All Alberni-Regional District parks are now closed to the public due to the extreme fire hazard in the Alberni Valley, Mayor Mike Ruttan said. This includes all parts of the Log Train Trail and the Inlet Trail.
Ruttan also reemphasized the wildfire smoke advisory that has been issued for the majority of Vancouver Island, including Port Alberni. Strenuous outdoor activities should be avoided. Those with compromised immune systems are especially at risk.
"The ACRD board of directors has authorized the fire Chief’s of its three fire departments—Bamfield, Beaver Creek and Sproat Lake to respond to any fire situation that requires their services," a media release from the ACRD stated. This allows the above fire departments to respond to fires outside of their jurisdictions.
Sproat Lake Volunteer Fire Department crews have already been patrolling the Sproat Lake area regularly, said Sproat Lake fire Chief Wade Hepp.
The ACRD board has expanded their emergency operations centre to level two in order to provide more support for the forestry firefighting operation. A local state of emergency and an evacuation order is still in place for the Dog Mountain area. While no evacuation alerts are in place for the rest of Sproat Lake, residents are encouraged to keep a 72 hour bag of essentials packed.
Alberni Valley fire Chiefs are reminding people to stay vigilant. All outdoor open burning—including campfires and fireworks—is now banned province wide, including in the fog zone.
If you see smoke and suspect a wildfire, call 1-800-663-5555 (*5555 on your cellphone) to report it. All other fires should be reported to 911.
For more information on the wildfire situation, visit www.bcwildfire.ca. For more information on air quality, visit www.bcairquality.ca.
reporter@albernivalleynews.com
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