Highway 4 on Vancouver Island reopens after wildfire closure
CTV
A major artery connecting people to Vancouver Island’s west coast communities reopened at 3 p.m. Friday, more than two weeks since it was shut down because of a wildfire.
A major artery connecting people to Vancouver Island’s west coast communities reopened at 3 p.m. Friday, more than two weeks since it was shut down because of a wildfire.
Highway 4 had been closed since June 6 due to the Cameron Bluffs wildfire near Port Alberni.
The province said the highway would reopen to single-lane alternating traffic to accommodate safety measures that are minimizing the hazard of falling debris as a slope nearby continues to recover from the effects of the wildfire.
“Highway 4 is a crucial route for our Island communities of Port Alberni, Ucluelet and Tofino, and we know the disruption of this corridor has been a challenge for everyone living in and visiting the region,” Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said in a news release.
People are urged to use patience driving through the area as traffic queues are anticipated to be extensive.
The ministry has been clearing fallen trees and debris from the affected stretch of highway, along Cameron Lake from Koen Road to Cathedral Grove, after they fell during the fire.
