Wildfire burning north of Squamish closes nearby campsite

A wildfire has broken out north of Squamish, B.C.

The blaze, now called the Cat Lake fire, was first reported on Tuesday morning and as of midday, was about 0.1 of a hectare in size, or about a quarter of an acre, according to the Coastal Fire Centre.

Two helicopters and an initial attack crew were on location and the nearby Cat Lake recreation campsite was being closed.

The fire centre said other campsites nearby will be evacuated if the need arises.

According to the BC Wildfire Service, the fire was being held as of midday.

1:53 Increasing wildfire risk across B.C.’s South Coast

Meanwhile, the service continues to respond to the Shovelnose Creek Fire, which is burning at the 20-kilometre mark of the Squamish Valley Forest Service Road, west of Pemberton and Squamish.

This fire was first reported on May 13 and was burning in steep and extremely rugged terrain, according to the organization. On Monday, 20 firefighters and three helicopters were on the scene.

There is no risk to critical infrastructure or homes at this time, officials said.

As of Tuesday, there were 63 wildfires burning in the province.