Squamish wildfire grows in size, but officials say conditions improving

CBC News

· Posted: Jun 11, 2025 4:36 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

A wildfire that has placed much than 200 properties nether evacuation alert successful the District of Squamish has grown successful size, but officials accidental conditions for warring the blaze are improving.

The Dryden Creek fire, which is burning adjacent to the Sea-to-Sky Highway about 45 kilometres northbound of Vancouver, grew from 14.4 hectares Tuesday evening to 20.2 hectares Wednesday. It aboriginal ballooned to 54 hectares successful size, aft daytime winds contributed to accrued occurrence behaviour and maturation connected its northbound flank, the territory said.

The adjacent Alice Lake Provincial Park was put connected evacuation order Wednesday, with B.C. Parks advising each visitors to permission the parkland instantly and stay retired of the country until further notice.

The territory said successful an update astatine 9:45 p.m. PT that portion the occurrence isn't presently threatening parkland facilities, "ongoing occurrence maturation towards entree routes and reduced visibility" prompted the closure.

Earlier successful the day, B.C. Wildfire Service serviceman Marc Simpson said higher humidity were helping crews combat the blaze. And, portion beardown winds were forecast for Wednesday, Squamish Fire Rescue Chief Aaron Foote said they were blowing successful their favour. 

"We're successful a amended spot contiguous than we were," Simpson told a quality conference.

He added that the terrain astir the occurrence includes steep, inaccessible areas wherever determination whitethorn beryllium rolling debris and "oversized rotten trees," which helium expects to prolong the crews' work.

An evacuation alert successful the northeastern country of the territory remains successful effect.

On Tuesday, the territory said astir 100 properties were successful the alert zone, but connected Wednesday it clarified the full to beryllium much than 220 properties, noting that 1 spot whitethorn see aggregate dwellings.

Squamish Mayor Armand Hurford said affected residents should beryllium acceptable to permission connected abbreviated notice. He besides stressed that the alert is lone for definite neighbourhoods.

"We're harmless astatine this point, and the challenges are precise localized," helium said.

"Things are OK present successful Squamish, prevention for the interest we person successful our precise northbound and eastbound country of the community."

WATCH | Squamish declares authorities of section emergency: 

The territory declared a authorities of section exigency Tuesday, noting the information for the Brackendale, Tantalus Road and Skyridge areas. 

Hurford said the declaration gives the municipality entree to much provincial resources should conditions worsen.

He said a Montessori schoolhouse successful the evacuation alert country has closed owed to the proximity of the wildfire.

The occurrence is believed to beryllium human-caused, but an nonstop origin isn't known yet.

RCMP are investigating the occurrence and are asking anyone who was successful the country astir 4 p.m. connected Monday to stock accusation with police.

There are 94 progressive wildfires successful B.C., and much than fractional are classified arsenic retired of control.