A wildfire on Vancouver Island is expanding rapidly, prompting evacuation orders and power outages. The Mount Underwood fire, located more than 10 kilometers south of Port Alberni, has grown to 16.18 square kilometers (1,618 hectares) as of Wednesday.

The fire has left over 500 properties in the Bamfield and Anacla areas without power since around 6 p.m. PT on Monday. B.C. Hydro has indicated that these outages may last longer than 72 hours.

Evacuation orders have been issued by the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) and the Cowichan Valley Regional District. These orders affect a variety of properties, including commercial, industrial, and recreational sites.

Julia Caranci, a fire information officer with the B.C. Wildfire Service, described the fire's behavior as "extreme" and unusual for the region. "We are in the midst of a severe drought," she stated during a news conference. Caranci noted that strong winds have pushed the fire aggressively uphill, contributing to its rapid expansion.

The fire grew significantly on Tuesday, increasing from approximately 6.3 square kilometers on Monday night to nearly 14.5 square kilometers by Tuesday night. Caranci remarked, "In the seven years I've worked for the Coastal Fire Centre, I don't think I've seen a fire like this on Vancouver Island."

She attributed the fire's unprecedented growth to a combination of dry conditions, strong winds, hot weather, and the area's steep, rugged terrain. "When the temperature is rising and the relative humidity falls, and we have strong winds pushing on a new incident, we can see that explosive type of growth. Again, we don't normally see that on fires on Vancouver Island," she explained.

Despite forecasts of rain, wildfire officials do not expect it to significantly affect the fire's behavior.

B.C. Wildfire Service crews are actively responding to the situation, utilizing five helicopters and five skimmers. While there is currently no threat to the communities of Bamfield or Port Alberni, officials have advised non-residents to avoid Bamfield to reduce pressure on the local community, which has about 300 year-round residents.