Newcastle Creek Fire (Sayward) – UPDATE

BC Wildfire Service is responding to the Newcastle Creek Fire located 5.6 km West of Sayward on Northern Vancouver Island. This fire was reported in the early afternoon on May 29 and as of 8:40 am Tuesday, May 30th, it is currently estimated to be 90 ha in size.

Thirty firefighters are tending to the out-of-control blaze.  Air tankers and helicopters were also deployed earlier yesterday afternoon.  At the moment, there is no risk to critical infrastructure or homes and there are no evacuation orders.

The Village of Sayward and Strathcona Regional District have activated a regional Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and updates are being shared via SRD’s Alertable notification system.  All residents of the region are encouraged to sign up for notifications at srd.ca/alerts.

Communities in the Strathcona Regional District may be experiencing various levels of wildfire smoke from the Newcastle Creek wildfire in Sayward. It is an important health concern for our region as it is a complex mixture of air pollutants.  Reducing exposure to wildfire smoke protects our health. Smoke levels differ from place to place and can change quickly. Up-to-date information about the Air Quality Health Index can be found on the provincial page at  www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/bcairquality/data/aqhi-table.html or the WeatherCAN app.

Currently, there are not any Air Quality Warnings issued, and if changes occur, residents will receive an alert via Alertable.  In the Alertable app settings, ensure you have turned on the air quality notification under health.

The Strathcona Regional District recommends, residents:

• Monitor friends, family, clients and students for signs of illness and ensure everyone drinks plenty of water.
• Ensure friends, family, clients and students with chronic health conditions (e.g. asthma) follow their care plan, have any necessary medications on hand and seek additional advice from their physician, if needed.
• Reduce activity during periods of poor air quality, especially outdoors.
• Consider keeping windows and doors closed during high smoke times.

The best way to protect your health from wildfire smoke is to seek cleaner air if possible. Use a portable air cleaner at home, find an indoor environment with filtered air, or relocate to an area with less smoke. If you cannot access cleaner air, some face masks can provide protection from wildfire smoke.  A well-fitted mask is the most important thing for filtration as inhaled air must pass through the material of the mask, not around it. More information can be found at bccdc.ca/health-info/prevention-public-health/wildfire-smoke.

To receive notifications and updates from the SRD regarding the current wildfire, please sign up for Alertable at srd.ca/alerts or by downloading the Alertable app.

-##-

Media contact: Casey Longhurst, SRD Protective Services Assistant, 250-914-9230  |  clonghurst@srd.ca