Sea-to-Sky Hwy reopens to southbound traffic as crews hold grass fire
The Sea-to-Sky Highway has reopened to southbound traffic near Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver, B.C., after a grass fire Monday closed the major route in both directions.
The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) says the fire, which began Monday afternoon, is burning southwest of Whyte Lake, approximately half a kilometre from the busy ferry terminal that connects Metro Vancouver to Vancouver Island.
The fire grew to three hectares in size but has now been reduced to one hectare and is being held, meaning it is not likely to spread, the BCWS said late Monday.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.
DriveBC said the fire was burning at Exit 3 of the Sea-to-Sky Highway (Highway 99), which connects the Lower Mainland to destinations further north such as Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton.
DriveBC said a detour through Horseshoe Bay Drive remains in place for northbound traffic.
Traffic is still able to reach the B.C. Ferries terminal via Highway 1.
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Jade Richardson, a fire information officer with the Coastal Fire Centre, said the BCWS was assisting the West Vancouver Fire Department in the firefighting efforts.
"B.C. Wildfire Service is responding with two initial attack crews, two helicopters and two response officers," she told CBC News around 4 p.m. PT Monday. "We also responded with an air tanker team earlier."
Rod Gildersleeve was heading to Squamish on Monday before the closure of the highway in both directions made him change his plans.
"I can think of three or four fires in this area generated by people in the last year," he told CBC News.
Hannah Mather, a server at Troll's Restaurant at Horseshoe Bay, said numerous customers had come in worried about the fire, with the closure affecting businesses near the ferry terminal.
"We're kind of emptying out in there," she said Monday afternoon.
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Richardson said it was important for residents to be aware of fire risks heading into the Canada Day long weekend.
"Especially on the mainland, where campfire use is still allowed following certain specifications and regulations, we really want to urge the public to just be very prudent and diligent with their use of fire," she said.
An air tanker dumps fire retardant over the fire near Horseshoe Bay on Monday. (Gian Paolo Mendoza/CBC)
Campfires include all fires smaller than half a metre in size, with fires larger than that banned everywhere except the southeast corner of B.C.
Richardson says anyone with a campfire should ensure there are fire guards around it and that it is not left burning overnight.
This article was originally written by and published for CBC News. With files from Akshay Kulkarni and Sohrab Sandhu
