The Province of B.C. is lending its expertise to Mosaic Forest Management as it develops plans to reopen the Bamfield Main Road, sections of which were rendered unsafe due to the Mt. Underwood wildfire.

“The Ministry of Transportation and Transit recognizes the importance of Bamfield Road to the Huu‑ay‑aht First Nation and area residents,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Transportation and Transit. “There is substantial work necessary over the coming weeks and months ahead to reopen Bamfield Road. Ensuring the safety of the travelling public is the top priority, and the Province will continue to provide technical resources and support to Mosaic throughout this process.”

Initial engineering assessments have determined a section of the Bamfield Road managed by Mosaic is unsafe for all traffic, prompting Mosaic to close the route with a section of the road being defined as a No Work Zone by BC Wildfire Services. Falling rocks, dangerous trees and a fire-damaged slope are presenting exceptionally challenging conditions, and there is no timeline for reopening the road in its current configuration. Mosaic has asked for assistance from the Province about solutions to make the road passable for public and commercial users. Further technical assessment is required to determine the timeline for any immediate fix to provide for public access.  

Currently, the detour route through to Youbou remains the only available alternative ground route. The Ministry of Transportation and Transit is working with the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and other partners, including Mosaic, to enhance the level of maintenance given increased public use during the detour.

“We take the safety of road users extremely seriously and there have been multiple geotechnical engineering assessments completed of the current situation,” said D’Arcy Henderson, chief operating officer, Mosaic. “Based on initial technical assessments, BC Wildfire Service has determined the road is currently unsafe for all transit. Safety remains our top priority in all decisions.”

Once Mosaic is given clearance from BC Wildfire Service to go back on the lands, additional geotechnical assessments can be completed, which will better position the company to determine when slope restoration efforts and road repairs can begin and will allow a timeline for this work to be established.

“We acknowledge and appreciate the primacy of safety that Mosaic has always held close as a core value, and we also want to underline the level of co-operation and communication that they have demonstrated throughout this whole emergency situation,” said John Jack, Chief Councillor of Huu-ay-aht First Nations, and chair of the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District. “While the situation itself is packed with challenges, we look forward to surmounting them with partners such as Mosaic and the provincial government.”

The 76 km long Bamfield Main Road is owned by both public and private entities, including 15 km managed by Mosaic.