Squamish wildfire remains out-of-control, quadruples to 20 hectares
Posted June 11, 2025 6:43 am.
Last Updated June 11, 2025 2:09 pm.
The wildfire that is threatening parts of the north end of Squamish continues to burn Wednesday.
According to the BC Wildfire Service, as of 10 a.m., the fire has quadrupled to 20 hectares and remains out of control.
“Crews are working to protect critical infrastructure and homes, first and foremost, and we’ve been successful in that regard,” Mayor Armand Hurford said in an update.
“Overnight, we did not have to evacuate anyone that was on evacuation alerts. Nor do we have any structures involved with the fire,” he added.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!Hurford says that as of Wednesday, a campfire ban has been issued for the municipality.
“I think it’s important to note, we don’t believe that this [wildfire] is a result of a campfire, but it was appropriate action to take,” he added.
While 100 properties remain under an evacuation alert, Hurford clarifies that it’s around 200 households when including strata premises.
“All agencies are working to attack and contain this fire. I’m extremely grateful for the immense efforts of all those working together to fight the fire and keep residents safe, and for the outpouring of gratitude and support expressed by the community,” he said.
“I’ve also had folks reach out from the federal, provincial governments, as well as some of my elected colleagues from around the country checking in. And it’s great to know that we’re all looking out for each other.”
Hurford explains that the state of local emergency will remain in place for the district to ensure all resources continue to be available.
Darren McPeake, the morning show announcer at Mountain FM Sea to Sky, tells 1130 NewsRadio that while driving to work early Wednesday morning, he saw what looked to be more flames.
“I could see the patches, best way I can describe it, of fire on the hillside. It definitely looks ominous. It’s scary,” he said.
On Tuesday, the District of Squamish issued a local state of emergency as a precaution. Evacuation alerts have been issued for properties at the east end of Depot Road, east of Highway 99, including the Depot Road campground, properties at the end of Tantalus Road, properties along Tantalus Road north of Dowad Drive, and the Skyridge subdivision.
“In Brackendale, where the fire is, that is completely covered in smoke. And the closer you get to it, you can see patches of fire. You can see there’s a new strip of [fire]. It looks like lights from a distance going up the mountainside,” McPeake explained.
One Squamish resident CityNews spoke to on Tuesday explained that living in the mountain town, he’s been through this before.
“We’ve lived here for 34 years, and we’ve been through a fire where that part of the hill was on fire for almost a week, 10 days,” he explained on Tuesday.
Another resident shared that the fire is concerning because it’s so close.
“It’s a stone’s throw away. For me, this is a bit deja vu, because I lived through the 2003 fires in Kelowna,” he said. “But I learned a lot, we’re taking measures, we’re packed and ready to go in a moment’s notice if we need to.”
The Dryden Creek wildfire was first spotted on Monday afternoon, and firefighting crews have been working on it ever since. The BC Wildfire Service says it has two initial attack crews, one unit crew, and four helicopters and one airtanker responding to the wildfire.
1130 NewsRadio Meteorologist Michael Kuss explains it’s going to be a gusty afternoon for Squamish.
“Winds pick up out of the south into the afternoon. The upside is that it’s blowing the fire and the smoke from that fire to the north and away from the community, but the winds are going to meander around and potentially become northerly again this evening,” Kuss explained.
As for any rain on the way, Kuss says there may be some coming on Thursday.
“It’s going to be another warm afternoon in and around the Squamish area. That will change, though, on Thursday, with cooler temperatures, not getting out of the teens, cloud cover, and even some precipitation, definitely elevated humidity, which will help,” he added.
BC Wildfire Service officer Mark Simpson says that the fire is burning in a very steep area with “inaccessible cliffs.”
“There’s going to be a bunch of tactics we need to use. But a key message … is that it will be a long, multi-week process for some of these areas that our crews cannot access,” Simpson explained.
“We’re going to have to monitor some areas and be very careful with our firefighter safety. We’re going to be dealing not only with the fire but rolling debris, and … oversized rotten trees that we’ll have to deal with by felling.”
As for how the fire started, Squamish RCMP Staff Sgt. Gareth Bradley shares that investigators are currently working on the cause and origin with wildfire service investigators.
“We did hear some stories about people being on the trail at this time. Nobody’s come forward to discuss that with us, so we would like the open opportunity for people that might have been out and walking or hiking on the trail, to come in and talk to us about that,” he said.
“There was no lightning event in that area, so that leads us down the path of it being human-caused at this point. But, again, there’s specially trained investigators that will deem the cause and origin,” Bradley added.
You can watch CityNews 24/7 live or listen live to 1130 NewsRadio Vancouver to keep up to date with this story. You can also subscribe to breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.
