Squamish mayor expresses concerns about air quality as wildfire continues to spread

A shift in the wind is pushing an out-of-control wildfire away from homes, leaving crews in a good position to protect at-risk homes.

There is growing concern among the Squamish, B.C., community over poor air quality as a wildfire ravaging local forests continues to spread.

Speaking to media shortly after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, Squamish Mayor Armand Hurford said the blaze had grown to 20.2 hectares, it was still considered out of control, and there was still potential for it to spread further.

Earlier Wednesday Hurford told CTV News the flames aren’t yet a threat to the community, but the thick fog of smoke lingering over the city is leaving residents “absolutely concerned.”

“Waking up, there was not a clear view of the mountains here,” he said, describing how the skies were affected to such a level the Stawamus Chief mountain was obscured from view.

According to Aaron Foote, the Fire Chief for the District of Squamish, over 30 firefighters were on site Wednesday focusing on containing the fire and protecting homes, including crews from BC Wildfire Service, Squamish Fire and Rescue and a crew from Whistler Fire Rescue Service.

Five helicopters, manned by crew members using Alice Lake to bucket water to the flames, were also deployed.

“The objective today is to continue the aerial assault on the fire,” said Foote, adding that the southeast blowing winds were working in the favour of crews, as were the humid conditions.

An evacuation alert placed for homes in the Brackendale, Tantalus Road, and Skyridge areas east of Highway 99 remains in place, as does a campfire ban issued by the district on Tuesday.

Marc Simpson, Pemberton wildfire officer the BC Wildfire Service, said the next challenge for fire services is tackling the north flank of the fire burning in the steep, inaccessible cliffs.

“It will be a multi-week process for some of these areas where our crews cannot access,” he said.

While evacuation alerts remain in place, Hurfurd said he was “happy to report” that there are no structures involved in the blaze, and no evacuation orders have been issued.

He said the blaze has been “quite close” to the community since it began on Monday, but thankfully it is moving away from the town’s population as the winds coming from the south continue to push it uphill.

It is a “very localized local state of emergency, that involves 200 households on about 100 properties,” he said.

“This isn’t a situation where the entire community is under an evacuation alert, which would be a different level of complexity and concern.”

Hurford urged the public to stay away from the fire and give the crews on site the space to battle the blaze, following earlier incidents involving drone use, people continuing to use the trails for trail running and mountain biking, and motorists stopping on the highways to get a better view of the blaze.

“This isn’t an opportunity to come and see the wildfire; quite the opposite,” he said.

“Please stay away from the neighbourhoods and keep moving to keep a safe place for our crews to work.”

Hurford said he was “extremely grateful” for the immense efforts of all those working together to fight the fire and keep residents safe, and for the “outpouring of gratitude and support” that has been expressed by the community.

The Squamish District declared a state of local emergency Tuesday, describing the fire as one that posed an “existing or imminent threat to people and property.”

The fire, thought to be human-caused, sparked on the hillside between Dowad Drive and Depot Road Monday, spreading to cover five hectares within just a few hours.

Sgt. Gareth Bradley of the Sea to Sky RCMP said Wednesday police have heard stories of people being on the trail around the time the blaze erupted, but nobody has yet come forward with information.

“We would like to open that opportunity for people who have been out, walking or hiking on the trail, to come in and talk to us,” he said.