4 new wildfires spark on Vancouver Island including near Shawnigan Lake, Goldstream Park

Four new wildfires were discovered on Vancouver Island on Thursday, most of which are believed to have been caused by lightning.

On the South Island, wildfires were discovered in the Shawnigan Lake and Goldstream Park areas.

Both are considered small, at an estimated 0.009 hectares each, and are considered “being held” as of early Friday morning.

The Shawnigan Lake fire is suspected to have been caused by lightning.

“Wildfire crews are assigned to this incident with support from aviation resources,” said the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) in an update Thursday evening. “There is no immediate threat to critical infrastructure or public safety.”

The wildfire near Shawnigan Lake is pictured on the evening of July 23, 2026. (BC Wildfire Service)

Meanwhile, the Goldstream Park wildfire is still under investigation with no suspected cause listed yet.

Similarly, the BCWS says there is no immediate threat to public safety or critical infrastructure, and that crews and aviation resources have been assigned to tackle the blaze.

Two lightning-casued wildfires spark up Island

In the North Island, two new wildfires were discovered on Thursday, including one in the northern tip of Strathcona Provincial Park and another in the Mount Alston area, south of Schoen Lake Provincial Park.

Both fires are believed to be lightning-caused and are burning “out of control” at an estimated 0.009 hectares as of Friday morning.

A wildfire that’s classified as out of control is expected to spread or is currently spreading beyond its current perimeter.

No resources were listed as assigned to either fire as of Friday morning.

The four new wildfires discovered Thursday are among seven total currently burning on Vancouver Island.

Two of the other fires – one near Port Alberni and one near Holiday Creek in the North Island – are listed as under control, while the third, a suspected lightning-caused wildfire that was discovered on July 21, continues to burn out of control across roughly 6.3 hectares near Kalpit Lake in the north end of the Island.

The BCWS says crews are responding to this fire, however it has shown “minimal growth in recent days and poses no threat to critical infrastructure.”

In an update Thursday evening the BCWS added that the wildfire is currently burning at a rank 1 or 2, meaning it is considered a smouldering ground fire to low-vigorous surface fire.

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