Extended highway closure expected due to wildfire near Port Alberni

There's no end in sight for the closure of Highway 4 on Vancouver Island – the only highway leading to the communities of Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet – due to a wildfire burning in the area.

There's no end in sight for the closure of Highway 4 on Vancouver Island – the only highway leading to the communities of Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet – due to a wildfire burning in the area.

On Wednesday morning, the B.C. Ministry of Transportation said the Cameron Bluffs wildfire continues to make driving unsafe on a roughly seven-kilometre stretch of Highway 4, between Koen Road and Cathedral Grove.

"Damage to the road and instability of the slope above the highway means this closure is likely to last beyond the fire itself," said the ministry.

The fire is approximately 140 hectares large and is considered out of control, according to Coastal Fire Centre fire information officer Kimberly Kelly.

Twenty-six firefighters are managing the blaze, alongside five helicopters and several air tankers.

"The fire is on steep terrain and crews are being challenged by rolling debris and [dangerous] trees," said Kelly.