Rain calms wildfire near Port Alberni, B.C., with more wet weather expected

The Mount Underwood wildfire is seen in this handout photo, southwest of Port Alberni, B.C., on Tuesday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — BC Wildfire Service

Firefighters on Vancouver Island say overnight rain has helped calm an out-of-control wildfire near Port Alberni, B.C.

The BC Wildfire Service says about seven millimetres of rain overnight has lowered the behaviour of the Mount Underwood blaze “to mainly a smouldering ground fire.”

It says in an update that up to 30 millimetres more is expected today, but it won’t be enough to fully suppress the blaze and the rains could affect slope stability and cause problems with rockfalls and dangerous trees.

Smoke from the Mount Underwood fire has triggered an air-quality statement in the region, along with parts of Vancouver Island’s east co