‘Aggressive’ wildfire shuts B.C. highway east of Bella Coola

Thick smoke rises from the Young Creek wildfire burning east of Bella Coola on Sunday, July 16, 2023. The BC Wildfire Service says the fire exploded in size over the weekend, shutting a section of Highway 20. (Courtesy Twitter/BC Wildfire Service)

By The Canadian Press and Hana Mae Nassar

Posted July 17, 2023 12:27 pm.

Last Updated July 17, 2023 12:31 pm.

The BC Wildfire Service says an “aggressive” fire that exploded in size over the weekend has cut off a highway on the central coast, while more than a dozen new blazes have been sparked since Sunday.

The service says Highway 20 east of Bella Coola was closed Sunday evening as the fire that was discovered near Young Creek just the day before swelled to 22-square kilometres in size.

The service says no evacuation orders have been issued for the fire, which is among more than 360 burning in the province, with 23 listed by the wildfire service as fires of note.

Highway 20 remained closed between Corbould Drive and Beef Trail Forest Service Road as of 12 p.m. Monday, according to DriveBC.

The agency notes there are no detours available, adding the next update was expected Tuesday at 10 a.m.

A working group comprised of members of Public Safety Canada, the Canadian Armed Forces, and B.C. emergency management and wildfire officials are set to meet Monday to discuss the province’s volatile wildfire situation.

Related articles: 

A weekend statement from the Ministry of Emergency Management says the meeting will focus on plans for deploying federal resources after the province requested help in the fire fight.

It says two military reconnaissance teams were deployed Sunday, with a “land force team” arriving at the ministry’s emergency operations centre in Prince George and an air force team bound for the BC Wildfire co-ordination centre in Kamloops.

Keep it Factual
Add CityNews Vancouver as a trusted source on Google to see more local stories from us.
Add as a preferred source on Google
Submit a Correction
Accessibility Feedback

Top Stories

Surrey Police Board chair resigning; ‘blindsided’ by Chief Lipinski decision

The chair of the Surrey Police Board (SPB), Harley Chappell, has announced his resignation from the oversight committee on Tuesday, a day after the police Chief Norm Lipinski was dismissed.

2h ago

B.C.'s youth labour market contracting faster than any other province: report

A new report from the Business Council of B.C. suggests that young people in the province are increasingly being shut out of the labour market.

5h ago

B.C. court awards $210,000 to sex assault victim whose attacker cited 'sexsomnia'

The B.C. Supreme Court has awarded a woman $210,000 in damages more than a decade after she was sexually assaulted by a man who claimed he suffered from "sexsomnia" as part of his defence. 

4h ago

Wildfire in B.C. central Interior prompts evacuation alert

The Cariboo Regional District has issued an evacuation alert for properties due to an out-of-control wildfire.

4h ago

Top Stories

Surrey Police Board chair resigning; ‘blindsided’ by Chief Lipinski decision

The chair of the Surrey Police Board (SPB), Harley Chappell, has announced his resignation from the oversight committee on Tuesday, a day after the police Chief Norm Lipinski was dismissed.

2h ago

B.C.'s youth labour market contracting faster than any other province: report

A new report from the Business Council of B.C. suggests that young people in the province are increasingly being shut out of the labour market.

5h ago

B.C. court awards $210,000 to sex assault victim whose attacker cited 'sexsomnia'

The B.C. Supreme Court has awarded a woman $210,000 in damages more than a decade after she was sexually assaulted by a man who claimed he suffered from "sexsomnia" as part of his defence. 

4h ago

Wildfire in B.C. central Interior prompts evacuation alert

The Cariboo Regional District has issued an evacuation alert for properties due to an out-of-control wildfire.

4h ago

Most Watched Today

2:13
Norm Lipinski out as surrey police chief; chair of police board resigns

A major shake-up in Surrey as the city’s top cop, Norm Lipinski, has left the police service after sources say he was asked to resign or be terminated by the Surrey Police Board. Cecilia Hua reports.

5h ago

2:29
Vancouver Park Board votes down motion banning jet skis

It was a tale of two motions at Monday’s Park Board meeting, with the ABC-majority voting to request that agencies review their policies on safety in Burrard Inlet, rather than move towards a ban on personal watercraft. Jack Rabb reports.

5h ago

1:56
Burnaby resident raising concerns over risk of pollution from artificial turf fields

A Burnaby resident is raising concerns after discovering what appears to be crumb rubber from nearby artificial turf fields collecting near a storm drain connected to sensitive fish habitat. Kurt Black reports.

4h ago

2:04
World Cup could be worth billions to the global economy

The 2026 FIFA World Cup could be worth tens of billions of dollars to the global economy. Ivan Rodriguez is speaking to experts about the tournament's potential financial impact.

11h ago

1:31
'Inhumane': Concerns grow over conditions inside New Jersey ICE facility

Clashes between police and protestors are drawing attention to conditions inside an immigration detention centre in New Jersey. Jenn Sullivan with the allegations that detainees are being kept in "inhumane" conditions.

11h ago

More Videos