The Regional District of Nanaimo is closing trails within its jurisdictions effective July 18 due to high risk of fire.
The trails being shut down include the Trans Canada Trail from the Timberlands Road trailhead by the Haslam Creek Suspension Bridge to the Harewood Mines Road trailhead at the region’s boundary with the City of Nanaimo.This 21-km section of the TCT is situated for the most part on private forest lands.
Landowner Island Timberlands has advised that all company property in the mid-Island is being closed to recreational users due to increasing fire hazard.
This closure affects the RDN’s Arrowsmith CPR Regional Trail that runs from Cameron Lake up to the old Arrowsmith ski hill.
Hikers looking to climb Mount Arrowsmith and Mount Cokely are advised that the private logging roads providing access to the back country are being closed by the landowner.
Keep apprised of access to private forest lands by following the Island Timberlands blog at blog.islandtimberlands.com.
The closure is in conjunction with the BC Wildfire Service’s open burning ban within the Coastal Fire Centre region.
The RDN also established a campfire ban at both Horne Lake Regional Park and Descanso Bay Regional Park campgrounds.
Outside of the two designated RDN campgrounds, fires of any kind are always prohibited in RDN regional and community parks and trails.
Use of CSA or ULC approved propane cooking stoves, barbeques and portable fire pits is still allowed at the campgrounds.
To report a wildfire, call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on your cell.
In addition, there is no smoking permitted at this time in any RDN park or trail.
For updates on conditions at RDN parks and trails, including the status of campfire bans at the RDN’s two campgrounds, visit www.rdn.bc.ca/parks.
— NEWS Staff/RDN news release
