Four new wildfires on Vancouver Island were discovered after a weekend storm brought heavy lightning across the region. The fires remain small in size but have all been classified as out of control. The most significant blaze is the Dunsmuir Creek wildfire, located southwest of Nanaimo near Green Mountain. It was discovered on Sunday afternoon and is currently estimated at 0.1 hectares. Officials with the BC Wildfire Service believe lightning sparked the blaze, which continues to burn under close watch.
Three more fires were detected earlier on Sunday morning in Strathcona Provincial Park, about 45 kilometres southwest of Campbell River. Each of these wildfires is estimated at 0.01 hectares in size and all have been listed as out of control. One of them, near the Gold River Highway, has been linked to lightning, while the causes of the other two remain under investigation. According to Samantha Bellion, a fire information officer with the BC Wildfire Service, the Strathcona blazes are located in high sub-alpine terrain. She confirmed that the fires are not currently near any infrastructure or communities. Crews are maintaining patrols in the region to watch for additional fires that may appear following the lightning storm.
Bellion explained that around 250 lightning strikes were recorded in the Coastal Fire Centre area on Saturday night. She noted that lightning often ignites fires inside trees, but visible flames or smoke may not appear until days later. For this reason, teams will continue monitoring the area closely in the coming days. Because the Strathcona fires are in remote locations, crews are applying what is known as a modified response. This strategy uses a mix of firefighting methods with the goal of limiting damage while also allowing certain ecological benefits from natural fires.
Weather conditions remain a central factor in the current fire risk. Environment Canada meteorologist Phillipe-Alain Bergeron said the weekend storm delivered a large number of lightning strikes, especially in the evening hours. Combined with hot and dry weather, these conditions have made Vancouver Island highly vulnerable to wildfires. Bergeron explained that when lightning occurs without heavy rainfall, the chances of new fires increase quickly. He noted that since Friday, more than 4,382 lightning strikes have been recorded across British Columbia. In the past 24 hours alone, 44 new wildfires have started, bringing the total number of active blazes in the province to 141. Of those, 118 are one hectare or smaller.
While some localized downpours did occur, Bergeron said most of the Island received only light showers that measured just one or two millimeters. Such rainfall is not enough to ease the fire risk. Looking ahead, forecasts show hot and dry conditions will return as a high-pressure system settles over the region. Bergeron warned that the pattern will leave much of the Island very warm and dry, with inland forests and mountains facing especially high wildfire danger.
On Sunday evening, Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning for inland areas of Vancouver Island. The advisory said a cluster of storms could bring more lightning near the Gold River area, raising the possibility of additional wildfires. Officials urged residents to remain cautious and to follow fire safety rules, stressing that even small sparks can lead to major incidents in the current conditions. Crews will stay in the field to monitor developments and respond as needed, since more fires may be discovered in the days to come.
