Air quality warnings expand as wildfire burns on south-central Vancouver Island

The wildfire that has triggered evacuation orders and alerts on south-central Vancouver Island is billowing smoke that has prompted Environment Canada to expand an air quality advisory to the northern Gulf Islands and Sunshine Coast.

The bulletin says the smoke will be heaviest on eastern Vancouver Island as well as Texada Island and Powell River on the Sunshine Coast.

The air quality statement comes as the Mount Underwood fire burns out of control about 12 kilometres south of Port Alberni.

An update from the BC Wildfire Service says crews working the fire overnight saw "moderate" fire behaviour, despite cooler temperatures and higher humidity.

Rain is expected to arrive in the region this evening, with 15 to 40 mm forecast for the area of the fire, which spans more than 20 square kilometres. 

The wildfire service says the moisture will help firefighting efforts, but the rain would have to be "significant" to have a meaningful impact over the longer term given the persistent drought that has gripped Vancouver Island.

The community of Bamfield has been without power due to the blaze discovered Monday, and the main road linking it with Port Alberni remains closed.

The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District says in a post on its emergency operations Facebook page that the outage was expected to continue as BC Hydro personnel could not enter the area of the wildfire until it has been deemed safe.

Authorities are asking people who don't live in Bamfield to avoid unnecessary travel to the community, which is a hub for hikers on the West Coast Trail.

The fire is one of about 90 active blazes across B.C., with fewer than 10 classified as burning out of control.

Port Alberni was experiencing "smoky skies" on Thursday, the regional district says.

"We'd like to remind people that, although it is smoky in Port Alberni, that is not necessarily an indication that the fire is moving closer to the city," it says.

The BC Wildfire Service had issued an update Wednesday saying the fire was not threatening the communities of Port Alberni, Bamfield or Youbou.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout- BC Wildfire Service