B.C. eyes reopening date for Vancouver Island highway closed by wildfire

The province is hoping to partially reopen Highway 4 on Vancouver Island in late June, more than two weeks after the Cameron Bluffs wildfire first shut it down.

The province is hoping to partially reopen Highway 4 on Vancouver Island in late June, more than two weeks after the Cameron Bluffs wildfire first shut it down.

A large section of the highway, about 20 kilometres east of Port Alberni, has been closed since June 6 due to the wildfire, severing the only paved roadway between the island's west coast communities of Tofino, Ucluelet and Port Alberni from the rest of B.C.

On Tuesday, the province said it was tentatively planning on reopening the highway to single-lane alternating traffic in late June, as early as the weekend of June 24 and 25.

The province would continue to monitor the highway for about two weeks after that, with full, two-way traffic not restarting until at least mid-July.

The Cameron Bluffs wildfire is located on steep terrain and is causing debris, rocks and trees to roll onto the highway.

The province says wind and other weather conditions will play a large role in firefighting efforts and when the highway can be reopened.

"Although this section of the highway is short, the impacts have been significant," said B.C. Transportation Minister Rob Fleming.