A blaze that broke out yesterday on Vancouver Island west of Ladysmith now covers about 70 hectares — or about three quarters of a square kilometre.
The B-C Wildfire Service says flames are moving southwest — away from Ladysmith and away from a Fortis B-C natural gas facility that was ordered evacuated last night, just hours after the fire broke out.
The Cowichan Valley Regional District has also issued a local state of emergency and the Nanaimo airport — which is very close to the northeast flank of the fire — has posted an advisory restricting air traffic because of concern that other planes could interfere with the air tankers and bucketing helicopters fighting the flames.
The wildfire is one of more than 250 currently burning in B-C, but exhausted crews are hoping showers and cooler weather forecast for this weekend over most of B-C will give them a break.
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