That wildfire near Port Alberni has grown to at least 1,400 hectares as of early Tuesday afternoon. The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District has declared a local state of emergency as crews continue to fight the Mount Underwood fire from the ground and air. Bamfield Road is closed between Bamfield and Port Alberni. The China Creek Campground remains evacuated.

Breaking news…crews are working to contain a new and rapidly growing wildfire near Port Alberni. By late Monday evening, the Mount Underwood fire had grown to more than 150 hectares in the China Creek Marina area. On social media, Forests Minister Ravi Parmar says a BC Wildfire attack crew, air tanker, four helicopters, three unit crews and a Type 1 Incident Management Team had been sent in. Night-vision equipment has been used to follow through on the initial attack.

Heat warnings continue for parts of Vancouver Island and southern B.C. with temperatures expected to be in the high 30s in many areas. Sea-to-Sky, eastern and inland parts of Vancouver Island, and the Similkameen and South Okanagan are under warnings - cooling is not expected until late Tuesday. The Lower Mainland is not under any such warnings but eastern parts of the Fraser Valley may hit the low 30s.

BC Conservative Leader John Rustad says his party’s troubled fundraising campaign has been impacted by the last federal election. Rustad tells the Vancouver Sun a lot of people are just tapped out. The Conservatives only managed to raise $350,000 from April to the end of June. That’s half of what the NDP raised during that time period. The Conservatives are currently involved in a leadership review.

Some people forced from their properties due to the Wesley Ridge wildfire on Vancouver Island are now allowed back home. The partial downgrade of the evacuation order comes as crews make progress fighting the fire, which is about 540 hectares and burning 50 kilometres northwest of Nanaimo. Meanwhile, BC Wildfire crews will be surveying areas around the B.C. Interior Thursday after a new round of thunderstorms hit the Okanagan, Cariboo and Thompson-Nicola Wednesday.

Those attending one of B.C.’s most notable music festivals continue to be targeted by RCMP. Numbers released by the Mounties show 800 violation tickets were handed out to drivers during multiple road checks along the mountain passes leading to the Shambhala festival near Salmo in the West Kootenay. Another 83 people got drug-impairment charges. Almost half the tickets were for speeding but nine were for excessive speed, 11 for no insurance and 11 for unsafe vehicles. This is not the first year festival goers received tickets - last year, hundreds more were caught.

Hundreds of people have now been forced to evacuate as the Wesley Ridge wildfire on Vancouver Island continues to grow. It’s now well-over 500 hectares, out-of-control, and continuing to expand. Heavy equipment, planes and helicopters, specialists and more than 160 crew have been brought in. The area includes Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park and spots next to Highway 4. Drivers are being warned to prepare for sudden changes between Parksville and Port Alberni.

Meanwhile, smoke from the Wesley Ridge fire is starting to impact the air quality on Vancouver Island. Air Quality advisories have been posted for Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum Beach and Nanoose Bay. Those in the B.C. Interior are also dealing with bad air from a host of fires. Air Quality bulletins are up for the Fraser Canyon, Okanagan, Cariboo and South Thompson.

Crews continue to contend with a growing number of wildfires around B.C. An out-of-control Vancouver Island fire has prompted an evacuation order for some properties on the north side of Cameron Lake. Highway 4 remains open between Nanaimo and Port Alberni.

Meanwhile, the Bear Creek wildfire next to Harrison Lake has grown to nearly 100 hectares. Some forestry roads in the area are closed to campers. Tourists are still able to visit Harrison Hotsprings.

And several new lightning-sparked wildfires are burning in Washington state, just south of the Canadian Okanagan. Smoke is visible from Osoyoos. Some parts of the southern B.C. Interior have had lightning strikes late Thursday and early Friday morning.

Hot, dry weather seems to be a turning point as B.C.’s wildfire season ramps up. The wildfire south of Lytton has more than tripled in size to about 500 hectares. Three helicopters and 45 ground crew are working to contain the blaze which is about 10 kilometres south of the village. Evacuation alerts are in place for a few properties. Crews remain concerned about ash that has been falling in parts of Lytton.

Meanwhile, some campers have been told to leave as the Bear Creek wildfire near Harrison becomes a fire of note. It grew to at least 64 hectares early Wednesday. Travelers are being told to stay clear of the part of Harrison Lake where fire crews are working.

And, a wildfire near Peachland has shut down the highways at the junction of the Okanagan Connector and Highway 97. The fire is at least 12 hectares and burning out-of-control. It’s believed to be human caused.

Hot, dry weather seems to be a turning point as B.C.’s wildfire season ramps up. The wildfire south of Lytton has more than tripled in size to about 500 hectares. Three helicopters and 45 ground crew are working to contain the blaze which is about 10 kilometres south of the village. Evacuation alerts are in place for a few properties. Crews remain concerned about ash that has been falling in parts of Lytton.

Meanwhile, some campers have been told to leave as the Bear Creek wildfire near Harrison becomes a fire of note. It grew to at least 64 hectares early Wednesday. Travelers are being told to stay clear of the part of Harrison Lake where fire crews are working.

And, a wildfire near Peachland has shut down the highways at the junction of the Okanagan Connector and Highway 97. The fire is at least 12 hectares and burning out-of-control. It’s believed to be human caused.