Firefighters say it could take several more days to put out a stubborn fire that is now burning underground in a forested area of Richmond, B.C.
The blaze broke out overnight on Thursday near Westminster Highway and Shell Road and has claimed about 12 hectares of woodland since.
The fire has been contained and the large plume of smoke billowing from the area is gone, but officials say it is far from out.
"The centre of the fire is actively burning," said Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Gray. "We're not even close to the centre. We are on a 2 ½-kilometre fire line that surrounds this."
About 35 firefighters from all over Metro Vancouver are still working to knock the blaze down. But the terrain is making firefighting efforts much more difficult than they normally would be for a blaze of the same size.
The fire is burning in peat moss and crews have to uncover the ground and douse the flames from both sides in order to fully extinguish any hot spots. That means the fire could continue to smoulder well into the week.
The BC Wildfire Service was helping Richmond Fire Rescue in its initial response to the blaze, but has since pulled its members out.
No firefighters have been injured so far, but the work is taxing. Crews are facing temperatures around 15 C higher than the already scorching temperatures that have gripped the region.
While fire crews battle the blaze, Mounties in Richmond are looking for a man they believe is connected to an encampment close to where the fire started. Investigators also discovered ammunition and shell casings at the site.
The cause of the blaze is still under investigation, however, and officials are not calling it an arson or a criminal matter.
Since firefighting efforts began, Westminster Highway has re-opened to single-lane, alternating traffic. Firefighters expect Shell Road to remain closed until at least the weekend.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Sarah MacDonald
