'Deeply concerned': Tofino tourism industry hard hit by wildfire closure

Tourism operators in Tofino are feeling the affects of the closure of Highway 4, the only paved road connecting the Vancouver Islands' west coast with the rest of B.C., due to a wildfire.

On Tuesday afternoon, the province said it did not expect to reopen Highway 4 until at least the weekend of June 24 and 25 , about three weeks after the highway initially closed on June 6.

Brad Parsell, executive director of Tourism Tofino, says the community is grateful for all the efforts underway to fight the Cameron Bluffs wildfire, which has closed the highway about 20 kilometres east of Port Alberni.

The timeline for when the highway will reopen, however, was difficult to hear for tourism operators in the town.

"We were hoping to hear a much more expedited reopening of that route to the west coast," said Parsell.

"This is going to have an even larger impact than we had initially feared for businesses here on the west coast. But we certainly can appreciate that this is an evolving situation," he said

Since the highway closed a week ago, Parsell says some businesses have already felt a " significant loss ."

"We're looking at hotels who have lost between 50 to almost approaching 100 per cent of their business over a matter of days," he said. "The loss of revenue has been felt across the board for our businesses."

Parsell says the economic hit means some operators have also cut hours for workers, which is having an impact on the town's workforce.

"Seasonal workers don't qualify for [employment insurance] for various reasons, so all of a sudden we're deeply concerned about our workforce in the tourism industry," he said.

CALLS FOR SUPPORT

Parsell says people can support Tofino by not cancelling their bookings and instead rescheduling them or collecting a voucher.

Buying gift certificates or future bookings will also help operators keep the lights on, he says.

Local airlines have also increased the number of flights they're providing, Parsell says, providing people with alternate means of reaching the community.

A detour route has been set up around the Highway 4 closure, though the province has urged people to only use it for essential travel purposes.

The detour route uses logging roads and takes approximately four hours to complete, stretching across 90 kilometres between Lake Cowichan and Port Alberni.

Last week, couple Sebastien Foellmer and Hope Moir said they were still committed to having their weding in Tofino , and most of their guests – more than 70 – promised to take the logging roads to get there.

The couple provided their guests with a list of what to bring to make the trek, including water, spare tires, extra gas, and more, but understood if people didn't feel comfortable making the journey.

The province says approximately 550 to 1,000 vehicles are using the detour route every day, about 20 per cent of which are commercial vehicles.

Parsell says it was heartening to see those commercial vehicles arrive, and that they were a reminder that people on the West Coast do not need to panic buy with essential supplies still arriving in the community.

If the province's timeline holds, Highway 4 will reopen to single lane alternating traffic in late June, before completely reopening to two way traffic in mid-July.

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Tofino, Ucluelet, tourism businesses doing their best to make it through Highway 4 closure

the cameron bluffs wildfire is burning on vancouver island shutting down the main highway

By Cole Schisler

Posted June 14, 2023 3:39 pm.

Last Updated June 14, 2023 3:43 pm.

Businesses in Tofino, Ucluelet, and Port Alberni are reeling from cancellations as Highway 4 remains closed. But with news that the highway could soon reopen for single-lane alternating traffic, there’s some hope the summer season can be salvaged.

Brian Cant, acting president and CEO of 4VI, a tourism organization dedicated to making sure tourism is a force for good on Vancouver Island, says businesses are using similar tactics that helped keep them afloat during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cant says the best way to support businesses is by rebooking a cancelled trip, buying gift cards, leaving positive online reviews, and even sharing businesses’ content on social media.

“I’m hopeful businesses will be able to make it through this interruption,” Cant said.

“If there’s an opportunity for people to support by purchasing gift cards or writing reviews, it helps more than I think people might imagine both in the short-term and the long-term.”

Cant adds that the region is still accessible by air, but driving isn’t advisable. The only route to the Pacific Rim right now is a four-hour detour on a narrow logging road, which is open for essential travel only.

Cant says he’s also heard of people wanting to see the fire in person or try to find a way around the highway closure to get to Cathedral Grove — a popular provincial park filled with old-growth trees that’s near the Cameron Bluffs fire.

“It’s an active wildfire site. There are more than 100 firefighters, heavy equipment, helicopters, police — this isn’t a place to go visit right now, it’s not a place to even go close and look at the fire.”

There is some good news on the fire front, the B.C. Wildfire Service says the Cameron Bluffs fire is now being held and isn’t likely to spread beyond its current boundary.

“The Cameron Bluffs wildfire is burning in very steep terrain with unstable rock slopes above Highway 4. Due to the fire, some tree roots have been compromised and are falling onto Highway 4,” the service says.

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“BC Wildfire Service personnel will continue assessing and falling [dangerous] trees on the north flank of the Cameron Bluffs wildfire, along the Highway 4 corridor. The essential work in this section of the fire is expected to be completed by the weekend, but is dependent on weather.”

The Ministry of Transportation says the highway is tentatively scheduled to reopen to single-lane alternating traffic on June 24 or 25, but it likely won’t be open to its full capacity until mid-July.

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Highway 4 on Vancouver Island is on track to open to limited single-lane-alternating travel by June 24-25, 2023.

Crews have cleared the affected stretch of highway of fallen trees and debris from the hillside above and are installing temporary safety measures to allow the highway to reopen.

Safety measures include the installation of a temporary concrete barrier wall in the eastbound lane of Highway 4 as well as protective mesh curtains suspended by cranes. These will act as barricades to potential falling rocks and trees as the slope continues to recover from the wildfire.

The detour will remain in place until Highway 4 is fully open. Telus has established a mobile cellular tower at the midpoint of the detour, which provides a cellular reception range of approximately one kilometre.

Progress of work to reopen Highway 4

  • Approximately 124 metres of roadside barrier has been placed on the Cameron Lake side of the highway.
  • Materials are on site for the concrete barrier wall to be installed in the eastbound lane.
  • Three segments of protective mesh curtain will be installed and all segments have been assembled and successfully tested.
  • There are 32 pieces of equipment on site, including four cranes and two excavators.
  • Approximately 50 people are working on site.

Support for communities and tourism

  • The Province’s priority is to ensure goods and services continue to move to the communities counting on them.
  • Approximately 1,000 thousand vehicles, including commercial vehicles, are accessing the detour route every day.
  • Commercial vehicles continue to carry essential goods, such as food, fuel and medical supplies.
  • Four piloted convoys of commercial vehicles are given priority access to the detour route every day.
  • All gas stations in Port Alberni, Ucluelet and Tofino are open with no limits on fuel purchases.
  • Government representatives are working with the region’s two airports, Tofino-Long Beach Airport and the Alberni Valley Regional Airport, regarding affected travel. Both airports report being extremely busy and functioning well.
  • At Tofino, Pacific Coastal Airlines is running two to three extra flights per day, with additional charter traffic underway.
  • In Port Alberni, 20 to 30 charters per day are shuttling people to Qualicum Beach, Nanaimo and Victoria. Specific charter companies that have stepped up to meet demand include Iskwew Air, BC Air and Pacific Seaplanes (utilizing Sproat Lake).
  • Helijet has also implemented service between Nanaimo and Port Alberni.

Highway 4 has been closed since June 6, 2023, to keep travellers safe as crews fought the Cameron Lake Bluffs wildfire and performed recovery operations.

Drivers are reminded to respect the direction of traffic-control personnel in the area.

For up-to-date information about road conditions, visit: https://www.DriveBC.ca   

Images from Highway 4 and the detour route can be found at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tranbc/albums/72177720308899528/with/52962540906/

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    Published June 13, 2023 4:02 p.m. PDT. Tourism operators in Tofino are feeling the affects of the closure of Highway 4, the only paved road connecting the Vancouver Islands' west coast with the ...

  7. Tofino, Ucluelet tourism impacted by wildfire

    Tofino, Ucluelet, tourism businesses doing their best to make it through Highway 4 closure. The Cameron Bluffs wildfire on Vancouver Island. (B.C. Wildfire Service Image) (B.C. Wildfire Service Image) Businesses in Tofino, Ucluelet, and Port Alberni are reeling from cancellations as Highway 4 remains closed. But with news that the highway could ...

  8. Tofino optimistic that closed highway will reopen in "days not weeks

    While the main road into Tofino and other coastal communities is closed due to a wildfire, the mayor says the city is taking it in stride. ... On Vancouver Island, a wildfire led to the closure of the main highway connecting Tofino and other communities to the rest of the Island. But one leader says their community has what it needs and is ...

  9. Highway 4 reopening for limited travel remains on schedule

    Highway 4 on Vancouver Island is on track to open to limited single-lane-alternating travel by June 24-25, 2023. Crews have cleared the affected stretch of highway of fallen trees and debris from the hillside above and are installing temporary safety measures to allow the highway to reopen. Safety measures include the installation of a ...

  10. Highway 4 closure cost Tofino, Ucluelet businesses $44 million: survey

    The only paved road connecting Port Alberni, Tofino, Ucluelet and other west coast communities with the rest of Vancouver Island and was closed for 17 days in June due to wildfire.

  11. Travel Tips + Regulations

    Read this information page on tsunamis + notification methods from the District of Tofino before your Tofino stay. Non-Emergency Services. Tofino General Hospital 261 Neill Street (at First Street) 250.725.3212. Tonquin Medical Clinic (open Monday-Friday) 220 First Street 250.725.3282. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) 400 Campbell Street ...

  12. PDF Tourism Tofino Visitor FAQ

    Tourism Tofino Visitor FAQ Updated June 15, 2023 Should I visit before Highway 4 opens? Highway 4 is closed at ameron Lake luff due to wildfire affecting the area. The closure is tentatively until June 24-25, at which point it is expected to partially open with single-lane alternating traffic.

  13. Cut off by wildfire, B.C. communities must wait another week for vital

    Tofino, the top tourism destination served by Highway 4, hasn't asked visitors to stay away but is advising tourists of the road closure. The business community is feeling the effects of the dramatic drop in visitors, the municipality has said , especially the tourism sector, which made significant investments to prepare for the summer season ...

  14. Highway to Tofino set to reopen by this weekend

    The highway to Tofino has been shut down for most of June, but officials say they now expect it to be open by the weekend. According to the BC Ministry of Transportation, Highway 4 is "on track" to open by the weekend to single-lane alternating travel by "June 24-25.". #BCHwy4 is on track to open to limited single-lane-alternating ...

  15. Getting to Tofino

    Victoria International Airport (YYJ) is a hub, and a five to six hour drive to Tofino. It is served by a number of carriers. Download this map. Pacific Coastal Airlines. 4980 Cowley Crescent. Richmond, BC. Ph: 1.800.663.2872. Tofino Air.

  16. Tofino Road Conditions

    411 Main Street Tofino BC V0R2Z0 CA Phone : 250-726-5222 website : www.tofino.app Link to TofinoApp Copy / Paste the code below into your website to link to us.

  17. Tourist businesses in Tofino reeling from ongoing wildfire-related road

    Businesses who cater to tourists on the west coast of Vancouver Island say tourist traffic is down anywhere from 50 to 80 per cent since a wildfire closed Highway 4 at Cathedral Grove. Aaron ...

  18. Tofino Accommodation & Activities

    Visit the official Tourism Tofino website to learn about accommodations, food and drink, events, activites and more. Plan your visit today! ... while treading softly and sharing respect for all who call Tofino home. Because here, everything is connected. And, just like Tofitians, you'll want to get up early to take it all in. ...

  19. Visitor Centre Updates

    You will also find us with Chestervan in the District of Tofino parking lot, Thursdays-Sundays, 10:30am-3pm. ... road closure updates, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve passes (visitor centre only) and general inquiries. Email [email protected] Call 1.888.720.3414. Previous ... Join to receive the latest Tourism Tofino news! Subscribe ...

  20. PDF Kennedy Hill Road Closure Communications

    • Complete road closures for 1-3 hour periods overnight are planned (between the hours of 1am-4am, 5am-7am and 10 pm-midnight.) ... Twitter: Tourism Tofino @tourism_tofino • Additional travel and destination information will be available from both Tourism Tofino (www.tourismtofino.com) and Tourism Ucluelet (www.discoverucluelet.com) ...

  21. PDF Highway 4 Road Closure Schedule at Kennedy Hill

    Highway 4 Road Closure Schedule at Kennedy Hill A major upgrade to Highway 4 at Kennedy Hill continues to progress. The project is approximately 14 kilometers northeast of the Tofino-Ucluelet Highway 4 junction. Mon-Fri: Closed 5am-7am and 11am-3pm. No traffic will be let through at these times. Sat-Sun: Single lane alternating traffic is let

  22. Plan Your Trip

    Tomorrow. light rain 9° C. More Weather and Surf Info. There's a lot to see in Tofino, so you'll want to plan your trip in advance. Book that accommodation, tour, spa treatment or dinner reservation now to ensure availability. And once you have the essentials in place, don't forget to leave some time for spontaneous adventures ️.