A wildfire burning west of Nanaimo was 70 per cent contained as of Monday morning, according to the Coastal Fire Centre.
Firefighting crews responded to the Boomerang Lake fire shortly after it broke out Saturday. On Monday, 41 crew members and two helicopters were assigned to the blaze, burning about two ridges west of Mount Benson, said Donna MacPherson, fire information officer.
No homes or structures are threatened by the fire.
The cause of the fire, which is estimated to be about 6.5 hectares in size, is still under investigation, but is expected to be found to be human-caused as no lightning was recorded in the area, said MacPherson.
“It’s incredibly dry,” MacPherson said. “We’re several weeks ahead of where we normally are for this time of year.”
The fire danger rating for the area is high to extreme.
“Cedar south seems to be a dry spot,” MacPherson said.
People using the backcountry should exercise extreme caution and limit activity which might spark a wildfire, such as smoking and using ATVs, vehicles or equipment in grassy or dry areas. Cigarettes should be extinguished in water, such as a water bottle.
A campfire ban is being considered for the coastal fire area and a decision would be made late Monday whether to implement one, MacPherson said.
Campfires must be kept to a half-metre by half-metre in size and must be fully extinguished, which means cold to the touch, before leaving the campsite.
“That doesn’t mean a party fire or a bonfire,” MacPherson said.
For updates on the fire and possible campfire bans, please check www.bcwildfire.ca. To report a wildfire, call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 on most cellular networks.
