Highway to Tofino reopened after Christmas closure, officials say

Debris is strewn across Highway 4 on Vancouver Island in a Tuesday, June 13, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure

A major highway on Vancouver Island that was closed on Christmas Day due to falling rocks has been reopened to traffic.

Crews managed to clear debris from the Cameron Lake Bluff area of Highway 4 before 2:30 p.m. on Boxing Day, according to DriveBC.

In a news release, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure said two large rocks "dislodged from the side of the bluff, hit the rockfall barrier and fell into the travel lanes" late on Monday afternoon.

No one was injured, but the incident closed the entire highway – the only route connecting the communities of Tofino, Ucluelet and Port Alberni to the rest of Vancouver Island – on the holiday.

A geotechnical assessment was conducted on Highway 4 early on Tuesday, and crews immediately began their work removing the rocks, as well as "several trees" that were downed onto the road, the ministry said.

There was no detour available during the closure.

The rockfall happened in approximately the same area where the highway was shut down by a wildfire back in June, which led to three months of rolling closures.

After that incident, workers cleared hundreds of dangerous trees and 1,000 tonnes of rock debris, according to the government.

There was another hours-long closure earlier this month due to rockslide debris.