UPDATE: 9:50 P.M. B.C. Wildfire Service has updated the size of the fire to 630 hectares. It is still considered out of control.
One initial attack crew is responding to the fire as well as four helicopters and one airtanker.
The highway (Bamfield Main Road) between Port Alberni and Bamfield is closed. A heavy equipment task force, three unit crews and a type 1 incident management team have also been mobilized, according to BCWS.
"The fire is displaying Rank 4 and Rank 5 fire behaviour," a fire information officer posted on the BCWS site. "Night vision equipped helicopters are actioning the fire overnight and structural protection specialists are on scene."
China Creek Campground and regional park are "in the proximity of the fire." The campground was evacuated earlier in the evening (see the original story below).
The fire is approximately 12 kilometres south of Port Alberni and 19 kilometres southwest of the Wesley Ridge wildfire. Smoke is visible from surrounding communities "and due to terrain and proximity may appear to be coming from the Wesley Ridge wildfire when viewed from the north and east," BCWS posted.
At Port Alberni's Harbour Quay, dozens of people watched the plume of smoke rise about the mountain. Bob McCurdy and Lynn Horrocks went to Dairy Queen and sat watching it from a bench for nearly an hour after learning about the fire from social media.
"Living here all our lives, we just decided we better see what's going on," Horrocks said.
Some people expressed concern over if the fire would move towards town, McCurdy said China Creek is a fairly windy place and he has concerns over what could happen if those winds pick up.
"Hopefully we won't get any more bad winds till tomorrow," he said. "Right now if that wind was blowing the way it usually does, that smoke would be here by now."
Another pair at the Quay watching the smoke was Bob Nesbitt and Penny Mackie. Nesbitt's first reaction was to think the fire is in a bad spot. He has concerns over the fishing around China Creek and how any evacuations might effect the number of fish brought in.
When asked if he was worried, Nesbitt simply said "No." Mackie agreed, but added she isn't from Alberni and doesn't have too much to be concerned about.
"It'll be interesting to see what they have to put on the fire," Nesbitt said. He's hoping enough aircraft are available to support the ground crews.
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UPDATE: B.C. Wildfire Service updated the size of the fire to 150 hectares and have named it the Mount Underwood fire.
(Original story continues below)
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A wildfire located nine kilometres down Bamfield Main is raging out of control and has quickly grown to 100 hectares.
The fire is listed on the BC Wildfire map as V71498. Conair had one aircraft on the fire and at least one helicopter responded.
Mike Carter, co-CEO at Port Alberni Port Authority, said China Creek Campground has been evacuated. "Once the onsite people were aware that there was a forest fire near China Creek a decision was made by our onsite caretaker to evacuate the campsite," Carter said.
"This has been done 100 percent. Everyone is safe, away from China Creek Campground and that's our clients and staff. That's the most important thing right now. It's all due to the good job of our staff and caretaker."
Carter received a text at 5:45 p.m. from a staff member about the fire. "It was just a little plume," he said.
Alyson Schmitz, who is camping at Macktush campsite across the Alberni Inlet from China Creek, said she noticed smoke sometime around 6 p.m. "We thought it was just dust off the Bamfield Road," she said. "It just kind of exploded."
Paul Brochu posted on Facebook that he was driving down Museum Main and the fire was down to the road on both sides of the road.
Bamfield Main is blocked at Cameron Shops, according to another social media post by Mike Watt.
The cause is under investigation.
