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By Victor Kaisar

Wildfire

UPDATE: CN Rail tracks closed as fire near Yale leads to evacuation alerts, weather advisory

Aug 24, 2025 | 12:17 PM

YALE, B.C. — (UPDATE 4:15 p.m.): The CN Rail line in the Fraser Canyon has been closed due to the wildfire burning about seven kilometres north of Yale, which has triggered some evacuation alerts and an air quality advisory.

The BC Wildfire Service says the Sailor Bar fire has grown to an estimated 120 hectares in size, up from the previous estimate of 50 hectares. There are multiple ground and aerial resources responding to this fire, which was discovered late Saturday (Aug. 23) evening.

“The fire was worked overnight with a helicopter equipped with night-vision technology,” the BC Wildfire Service said, in a statement.

“The fire is burning in steep, inoperable and difficult to access terrain. Responder safety is the number one priority, and this area poses significant safety challenges.”

The Fraser Valley Regional District and the Spuzzum First Nation have issued evacuation alerts in connection with this fire. It is burning east of the Fraser River and the Trans-Canada Highway  – which is on the other bank – remains open with a travel advisory in effect.

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“This fire is burning at Rank 2 fire intensity,” the BC Wildfire Service said, noting the fire is suspected to be human caused. “This means a surface fire with visible, open flame and a slow rate of spread with an unorganized or inconsistent flame front.”

“No other infrastructure is immediately threatened.”

The Metro Vancouver Regional District has issued an air quality warning because of elevated smog in the eastern parts of the metro area, and because of elevated wildfire smoke levels in the eastern Fraser Valley.

“Hot and sunny weather in combination with local emissions has resulted in elevated levels of ground-level ozone,” the alert said. “Smoke from the Sailor Bar wildfire burning north of Yale in the Fraser Canyon has resulted in elevated levels of fine particulate matter in the Eastern Fraser Valley.”

“The ozone (smog) warning is expected to last at least until tomorrow. The fine particular matter warning is expected to last today and tomorrow or until smoke conditions improve.”

The BC Wildfire Service also said a prolonged heat wave across much of the province will increase fire danger in the coming days. It said hot and dry weather conditions are rapidly drying out forest fuels, and its warning of the increasing risk of new blazes being sparked.

This is a developing story, and more information will be provided once it’s available.