Breaking: Again, British Columbia Wildfire Disrupts Traffic on the Alaska Highway After Sudden Blaze Engulfs Forest Edge Near Mile 215
Mile 215, British Columbia – June 15, 2025
For the third time this season, the Alaska Highway has been brought to a standstill. Plumes of thick, choking smoke filled the sky on Friday morning as a fast-moving wildfire—ignited by an unconfirmed lightning strike—raced through a dense stretch of boreal forest near Mile 215. This particular section, already on edge after a dry spring, had narrowly escaped the flames two weeks prior.
This time, it wasn’t so lucky.
“I heard what sounded like distant thunder, but the sky was blue,” said Anna Kellerman, a nurse from Fort Nelson who was en route to deliver medical supplies to a First Nations community near Muncho Lake. “Next thing, I smelled burning. By the time I reached the crest of the hill, I saw the trees going up like matchsticks. There was nowhere to go.”
She wasn’t alone. An estimated 73 vehicles—including commercial trucks, tourists in RVs, and a school bus transporting students from a field trip—were forced to turn back or pull over as RCMP officers and BC Wildfire Service crews quickly blocked off the highway in both directions.
The fire, now being referred to as the **Pine Gate Blaze**, spread with terrifying speed. Winds, gusting up to 60 km/h, fanned the flames across dry brush and deadfall that hadn’t seen rain in weeks. In under two hours, nearly 1,500 hectares were scorched, and the fire began jumping drainage ditches toward the westbound lanes of the Alaska Highway.
“It’s a tinderbox out there,” said Commander Julian Reyes of the BC Wildfire Service. “This blaze moved faster than any of our models predicted. Our crews barely had time to reposition.”
**A Familiar Fear**
This marks the fifth major fire-related traffic disruption on the Alaska Highway in just two months. With British Columbia experiencing its worst drought since 2003, wildfires have become an almost daily threat. Yet this incident struck a different nerve with residents and travelers alike—because it unfolded in the same area as the **Wedge Creek Tragedy**, where three lives were lost last summer when a firestorm trapped drivers inside their vehicles.
“You could feel the panic,” said Marcus LeClair, a long-haul trucker who pulled over just minutes before the closure. “People remember what happened last year. No one wanted to take a chance.”
Indeed, dashcam footage circulating on social media shows a scene eerily similar to last year’s deadly event: ash falling like snow, animals running across the highway, and a horizon of crimson smoke blotting out the sun.
**A Desperate Evacuation**
By noon, emergency crews had launched a full-scale evacuation of all vehicles and residents within a 10-kilometre radius of the fire. Schoolchildren on the field trip were among the first airlifted out by a Royal Canadian Air Force CH-149 Cormorant helicopter, which landed directly on the closed highway to collect them.
“We had to calm the kids down, they were crying and coughing,” said Sharon Duplessis, one of the teachers. “It felt like a nightmare. But the military got us out just in time.”
Meanwhile, BC Emergency Health Services confirmed that at least **14 people were treated for smoke inhalation**, including a pregnant woman and a senior citizen with pre-existing respiratory conditions.
There were also reports that two off-grid cabins near the river bend—belonging to seasonal trappers—were destroyed in the fire’s initial sweep. It is not yet clear whether the occupants were present at the time.
**”The Fire Has Its Own Rules”**
Fire behavior specialist Rami Awas observed from a command post set up near Prophet River.
“The blaze is what we call an interface fire—it’s transitioning between wildland and developed zones. And with the terrain in this area, the fire has its own rules.”
Helicopters carrying water buckets could be seen flying overhead well into the evening, while ground crews carved out firebreaks along both sides of the highway. Despite their efforts, as of 9:00 p.m. Friday night, the Pine Gate Blaze was still considered “**out of control**.”
**The Highway That Keeps Breaking**
The Alaska Highway, stretching over 2,200 kilometers from Dawson Creek to Delta Junction in Alaska, has always been more than just a road. It’s a lifeline connecting remote communities, supply routes, and emergency services. But lately, it’s also become a symbol of fragility in the face of a changing climate.
Experts are beginning to worry that repeated closures could lead to **long-term economic disruption**. Tourism season was just beginning to recover post-pandemic, and freight companies are already reporting thousands of dollars in losses due to delayed or rerouted shipments.
“There’s only one road in and out up here,” said Jeanette Holloway, who runs a general store near Toad River. “If that road burns, everything stops. Food, medicine, gas—gone. We’re alone.”
**A State of Emergency Looms**
By Saturday morning, officials in British Columbia had convened an emergency session to assess whether to declare a localized state of emergency. The Regional District of Northern Rockies issued an evacuation alert for multiple communities, and weather forecasts offer little hope: no significant rainfall is expected for at least six days.
Premier Anjali Mehra addressed the province in a brief televised statement.
“We are facing an unprecedented wildfire threat. Resources are being deployed as fast as possible, and our thoughts are with all those impacted. Please stay off the Alaska Highway unless absolutely necessary.”
**One Woman’s Plea**
Back at Mile 215, Anna Kellerman was finally able to resume her journey after spending six hours stranded at a makeshift roadside shelter set up by the Red Cross. But she didn’t feel safe. She didn’t feel lucky. She felt something else.
“I know the land needs to burn sometimes. But not like this. Not so angry. We’re not listening to the Earth, and the Earth is starting to scream.”
As of this writing, the Pine Gate Blaze has consumed over 2,300 hectares and continues to spread northward. Traffic on the Alaska Highway re
mains suspended between Mile 210 and Mile 228 until further notice.**