The Wesley Ridge fire burning along the north shore of Cameron Lake continued to grow Monday, with the BC Wildfire Service now classifying it as a “wildfire of note.” As of Monday at 10 a.m., the fire had expanded to 511 hectares, up from 389 hectares reported the day before. A total of 164 firefighting personnel have now been deployed to help battle the blaze. Despite the growth, fire officials say efforts to protect homes and slow the fire’s spread are showing success. “Today, we experienced some fire growth throughout the fire, but we also had a pretty successful day operationally,” said BCWS deputy incident commander Dimitri Vaisius in an update posted to YouTube on Monday. …Aircraft equipped with night vision worked overnight, dropping water on active areas and cooling hotspots, BCWS said in an update. …At this time, the highway remains open, but drivers should expect delays and are asked not to stop along the corridor.

Additional coverage in the CBC: Wildfire on Vancouver Island continues to grow