On January 12, 2026, heavy rain and a provincewide high‑streamflow advisory prompted Alberni‑Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) officials and provincial agencies to warn residents southwest of Port Alberni about heightened landslide and flood risk on the Mount Underwood burn scar.
The danger is greatest in parts of the landscape that were burned during the Mount Underwood wildfire in August 2025. Experts say intense fire can make soils water‑repellent (hydrophobic) and remove vegetation that normally stabilizes slopes, increasing rapid runoff, debris flows and flash flooding on burned terrain. Provincial river‑forecast and emergency‑management notices have warned that this “fire‑to‑flood” cycle raises the risk of sudden mudslides and fast‑moving water.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has previously closed a 1.5‑kilometre stretch of Franklin River Road (the Bamfield Main) during the 2025 wildfire; it installed a weather station, emergency gates and an operating protocol so the highway can be quickly closed during periods of heavy rainfall or high winds. That section was initially closed in August 2025 and reopened following repairs in October 2025. DriveBC and local authorities say they will monitor conditions and implement closures if needed during the current storm.
Residents in Electoral Areas A (Bamfield) and F (Cherry Creek) and users of the China Creek Campground were among those evacuated in August 2025 during the wildfire; evacuation orders tied to the Mount Underwood fire were rescinded on Oct. 24, 2025. Local officials are urging people in low‑lying or at‑risk locations to monitor local alerts (Voyent Alert!/EmergencyInfoBC/DriveBC), follow instructions from the ACRD and provincial agencies, and be prepared to leave on short notice if conditions worsen.
Provincial forecasters and emergency crews are closely monitoring the situation as heavy rain is expected to continue. “The ministry will pay particular attention to areas on the Island around summer wildfires at… Mount Underwood near Port Alberni due to the ‘burn scars’ left behind on the land,” a Ministry of Transportation spokesperson told Times Colonist. High‑streamflow advisories and local warnings remain in effect; residents should consult EmergencyInfoBC, the ACRD website and DriveBC for the latest, verified information.
