A suspected human-caused wildfire west of Lake Cowichan that was first reported Tuesday evening is now considered under control, the B.C. Wildfire Service says.
The fire near Gordon River, called the Gordon Main fire, started at the site of an old logging camp and involved broom and brush.
When RCMP attended at 10:30 p.m., they found an area the size of a basketball court in flames, said Sonja Turnbull, information officer for the Coastal Fire Centre.
“We had a three-person attack crew and a response officer on scene and they brought it under control,” she said.
The crew remained at the site Wednesday to monitor for hot spots and ensure the fire does not reignite.
While the cause has not been determined, the fire is believed to be human-caused.
After a cool June, 38 fires are burning in the Coastal Fire Centre zone, which includes all of Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and the Sunshine Coast, down significantly from the 145 fires burning at this time last year. The 10-year average is 93.
Fourteen new fires have been reported since July 21. The Gordon Main fire is the only wildfire reported on Vancouver Island.
Turnbull said the fire centre is consulting with weather experts on a daily basis to determine if a campfire ban is necessary.
“It’s a good time to repeat our prevention messaging: Don’t leave fires unattended, build a fire guard, have water and a shovel ready and don’t let your guard down until the embers are cold to the touch,” said Turnbull.
A ban on larger open fires, fireworks and burn barrels of any size came into effect July 15 in the Coastal Fire Centre zone. The ban will stay in place until Oct. 28.
