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Wesley Ridge fire: 1/3 of residents under evacuation order now allowed home

Click to play video: 'Cooler temperatures helping fire fight'
Cooler temperatures helping fire fight
WATCH: The wildfire fight is still underway across this province. And as Alissa Thibault reports, while cooler, rainier weather has helped crews, officials say the fight isn't over yet. – Aug 6, 2025

Some people who were forced from their homes as the Wesley Ridge wildfire burned near Cameron Lake on Vancouver Island are heading home on Wednesday afternoon.

The Regional District of Nanaimo said that at 4 p.m., a portion of the properties under an evacuation order would be downgraded to an evacuation alert.

This initial change affects approximately one-third of the properties currently under an evacuation order, according to the regional district.

None of the properties in the downgraded area were impacted by the Wesley Ridge fire and did not lose power while they were sitting empty.

Click to play video: 'About 850 wildfires sparked in B.C. this year, forests minister says'
About 850 wildfires sparked in B.C. this year, forests minister says

Here are the details about which properties remain on an evacuation order and which properties are now under an evacuation alert.

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The Wesley Ridge fire, now mapped at more than 500 hectares, has been challenging crews for days as it is burning in rocky and steep terrain.

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As of Wednesday morning, there were 120 active wildfires across B.C., including 12 that started in the last 24 hours and 27 that were declared out.

Lighter rain and higher humidity did help crews get the upper hand on the wildfire.

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