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Elsa Nygard was biking by Squamish Valley Road with a friend when she saw a plume of smoke over the horizon.
At first, they thought nothing of it, writing it off as a routine burn. They were stopped by the Squamish River, maybe about a 15-minute bike ride away from Anderson Beach.
But as the smoke continued to billow up into the air, they decided it would be best to leave.
They turned their bikes around, and, shortly after, they saw police vehicles racing by, and cars packed with camping gear speeding away from the source of the smoke.
“Once we actually got down to Squamish, we could actually see it had gotten pretty big and we just stood there for five minutes looking at it, like, ‘Wow we were there,’” said Nygard.
“Me and my friend looked at each other like, ‘I can’t believe we were right next to it.’ When something looks like it’s going to be bad, it very well could be, so you should evacuate pretty fast.”
Nygard’s observation would turn out to be correct.
The fire would spiral out of control and quickly spread, prompting a series of sweeping evacuations in the area.
With constant warning updates streaming in, anyone who is in the area could be forced to leave at a moment’s notice.
Officers are saying there is a short window of time for people to drive out of Butterfly Lake, and it’s time for people to leave.
Cell service is down, but crews are in the area and police are asking if anyone has a satellite phone.
RCMP say they’ve created a staging area for the west side of the fire at 14953 Squamish Valley Road.
This area will change as the fire progresses, and updates will be given.
For those on the southeastern side of the fire, the Executive Inn and Suites in Squamish of Tantalus Road, is being used at the gathering point.
The latest notice asked people on Paradise Valley Road to be on standby for evacuation. Everyone should be packed and ready to leave at a moment’s notice. Officers will be arriving shortly.
Previously, officers called for evacuations from the Squamish Valley Road area, Butterfly Lake as well as from Levette Lake and Evans Lake areas.
Out of control slash fire burning in Squamish right now. #Squamish #BCWX #wildfire #ShareYourWeather @weathernetwork pic.twitter.com/Wt7efykDB6
— Jade Vajna (@JadeVajna) April 16, 2020
The flames have been moving in toward Levette and Evans lakes, over the mountain, police say.
Police have been quick to get to these areas, RCMP say.
RCMP say despite roadblocks, they are seeing loads of traffic coming up to the valley. Police ask that people do not travel to the area by car, bike, or foot.
Spot fires are “everywhere” and equipment needs to come in. Locals in the area also report there may be released livestock roaming the area.
They say that anyone in the Squamish Valley area should be prepared to be evacuated or be put on notice.
Helicopter support departs the Squamish Municipal Airport to assist in brush fire suppression. - Warwick Patterson/Squamish Flying Club
Officers also put Cheekye Reserve community members on evacuation notice.
Crews are scrambling to evacuate a campground and six homes, said Donna MacPherson, a fire information officer with BC Wildfire Service.
It also threatening BC Hydro infrastructure, she said.
The fire, which is 15 hectares in size, is 15 kilometres northwest of Brackendale.
Fire crews are letting people on the North end of the fire come through on Squamish Valley Road.
No one is allowed to head up the Valley and roadblocks are in place.
Most residents are staying to help fight the fire.
These flames are also being fanned by a 15-kilometre-per-hour wind, she added.
MacPherson said the blaze is being characterized as an “aggressive fire” and is suspected to be human-caused.
No firm numbers for crews have been established, as that is changing by the moment, she said, but helicopters are en route.
Weather not helping
Local meteorologist Jason Ross says that weather conditions have been particularly dry this year.
From the start of the month until April 15, there has been only 2.6 millimetres of rain.
Last year, during that same time period, about 100 millimetres of rain fell.
Furthermore, currently, the humidity is quite low, creating “very bad fire behaviour conditions,” he said.
Speaking at around 7:15 p.m. on April 15, Ross said in the last hour showed wind was blowing north at four kilometres an hour with 14% humidity.
“It’s not good for fire,” he said. “It’s very dry.”
Ash is falling in some parts of Squamish, and the smoke is visible from satellite imagery, he said.
Adding to the troubles, is that winds will switch to 20-kilometre outflows tonight, he said.
This could fan the flames. However, at the same time, humidity often goes up at night, and that could hopefully be a mitigating factor.
There may be a shower on Friday night, and cooler weather may happen next week, but the short-term picture isn’t looking great, he said.
The blaze rages on just one day before a provincial burn ban goes into effect.
Burn bans
The blaze comes at a time when officials have already enacted fire bans in selected areas due to fears that smoke could make people more susceptible to COVID-19.
As of noon April 16, the province is banning most burning activities throughout B.C.
This ban would put a halt to Category 2 open fires; Category 3 open fires; resource management open fires; the use of fireworks; the use of sky lanterns; and the use of burn barrels or burn cages of any size or description, except when used for a campfire.
All public and private land in B.C. will be subject to these regulations unless specified otherwise. A municipal bylaw could be an example of this.
History repeats
Unfortunately, this situation is not unfamiliar to locals.
On April 1, 2019, a fire sparked at the 17.5-mile mark of Squamish Valley Road.
A homeowner’s slash fire burned out of control, swallowing 68 hectares a day after it was sparked.
It came within 100 feet of a home, but was beaten back by sprinklers.
It took more than a month for the fire to officially be called out.
**This story has been continuously updated as the situation developed.
