UPDATE: 10:50 A.M.
The fire at Mount Underwood has grown again Wednesday morning, reaching 2,156 hectares.
BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) expects the fire to gradually grow eastward over the next couple of days due to wind, heat and the terrain. Conditions are expected to cool and some rainfall is expect starting Friday, but BCWS says significant rainfall would be needed to have a meaningful impact.
An incident management team will be taking command of both the Mount Underwood fire and the Wesley Ridge fire, which is under control. The two fires make up what BCWS is calling the Cameron Complex.
There continues to be no imminent threat to Port Alberni, Bamfield or Youbou, despite the Bamfield Main Road closure. There is also no threat to the Bamfield to Youbou road at this time.
Five helicopters, five skimmers, a birddog plane, three initial attack crews and three unit crews are responding to the Mount Underwood fire.
(Original story continues below)
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The Mount Underwood wildfire has grown to an estimated 2,036 hectares. It started the morning at 1,618 hectares, up from 1,447 last night.
Port Alberni, Tseshaht First Nation and the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District have declared states of local emergency. Cameron Heights and Tiipis are on evacuation alert, along with Franklin River Road.
Evacuation alerts are cautionary, to tell people to be prepared, but those in the evacuation alert areas do not yet need to leave their homes.
Evacuation orders are put in place when people should start evacuating. The orders put in place near the blaze affect recreational, industrial and commercial sites. No homes have been evacuated as of Aug. 12.
BC Wildfire Service has deemed Mount Underwood a wildfire of note, meaning it is especially visible and may be a threat. Wildfires of note are also easy to find on the .
An air quality warning remains in effect for inland Vancouver Island due to smoke from the fire. People should limit time outdoors and consider rescheduling outdoor activities and sports.
Local officials encourage people to be prepared for anything and have a go-bag ready, but have continued to state Port Alberni is not in imminent danger from the fire.
