In 2023 there were 41 wildfires on Mosaic’s land base, including the one at Cameron Bluffs. 70% of those were human caused. Person-caused wildfires—like those started by a discarded cigarette, an improperly extinguished campfire, or arson—continue to cause the most fires and the most damage on Vancouver Island. They often occur close to where people live and travel. This was the case with the Cameron Bluffs wildfire, which began near Port Alberni, B.C. in June, 2023 and grew to be over 200 hectares… The wildfire started from a small, unattended campfire during a fire ban and resulted in dire effects for surrounding communities including the closure of a major highway connecting Port Alberni and parts of the West Coast to the rest of the Island. Initially shut down for weeks due to safety concerns, the highway also faced intermittent closures throughout the summer tourist season, leading to local economic losses estimated at $60 million.