PORT ALBERNI — BC Hydro says crews have restored power for more than 500 customers in Bamfield on Vancouver Island after a wildfire caused extensive damage to infrastructure outside Port Alberni.

BC Hydro says in a statement that dozens of technicians and vegetation management personnel have been working since Aug. 16 to fix the fire-damaged infrastructure and were confronted with extremely challenging terrain impacted by the Mount Underwood wildfire.

It says crews put in 63 new poles and 65 new power lines along a six-kilometre stretch, portions of which were on "steep, unstable terrain," and the most challenging part has a temporary fix that will be made permanent when conditions improve.

The company's Vancouver Island community relations manager Ted Olynyk says crews faced "extremely

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