Wildfire forces partial closure of Manning Park ahead of long weekend

Vancouver -

Crews are battling a wildfire that broke out in E.C. Manning Provincial Park ahead of the B.C. Day long weekend and has grown to an estimated 20 hectares in size.

The blaze was discovered Friday afternoon in a fairly remote area of the park and isn't threatening any structures, according to the B.C. wildfire Service.

But the fire still prompted a partial closure of the popular outdoor destination. A notice on the B.C. Parks website warns visitors they can't enter Manning on the north side of Highway 3 from the Cascade parking area to Eastgate.

"All accesses into the park along this stretch are closed, including Blackwall Road, the Bonnevier Trail, Cambie Creek, The Hope Pass Trail and the Skagit Bluffs Trail," it reads.

"The Dewdney and Whatcom Trails, and facilities west of the Cascade parking area remain open at this time, as does Hampton Campground."

Officials said campers at the Buckhorn Backcountry Campsite have also been asked to leave.

It's unclear what sparked the fire, but the B.C. Wildfire Service said it's believed to be human-caused.