British ColumbiaThe province said it’s aiming to have the road between Bamfield and Port Alberni on Vancouver Island reopened by the end of October, as crews deal with unstable slopes, trees and debris following the Mount Underwood wildfire. Highway between Bamfield and Port Alberni expected to be closed until at least end of OctoberCBC News · Posted: Sep 18, 2025 9:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: September 18The Frances Barkley, operated by Lady Rose Marine Services, at dock in Bamfield, B.C. The ferry service is offering free rides to locals with essential services while the road to Port Alberni remains closed. (Submitted by Stephen Riley)A local boat touring company is offering free travel for residents of the Bamfield area, on Vancouver Island’s west coast, who need to get to Port Alberni for essential supplies and appointments, following the news that the road will remain closed for weeks.This week, the province said it’s aiming to have the road reopened by the end of October, as crews deal with unstable slopes, trees and debris on the 1.5-kilometre section that was closed in August as a result of the Mount Underwood wildfire. The province said that even after reopening, Bamfield Main Road will face temporary closures during periods of strong wind and heavy rains, when there could be a higher risk of landslides. “We weren’t really too surprised,” resident and owner of Bamfield Water Taxi Mitch McPhee said. “Being pretty realistic, a bunch of people around here, we figured it would have to be shut down for a while.”The main road between Bamfield and Port Alberni has been closed since August. (Jennifer Magher/Radio-Canada)That means people in Bamfield and the surrounding area would be forced to take a detour that sends people down to the Cowichan Valley, and then back up the island to Port Alberni, turning what’s usually a 90-minute trip into a five-hour excursion. Lady Rose Marine Services owner Greg Willmon listened in to a community meeting on Monday when he learned about the closure and heard people were struggling to get by without a quicker route to the city. “They talked about the challenges people were having getting back and forth to appointments and things like that in Port Alberni,” he told CBC’s On The Island. So, he decided to offer up their services. While the trip on his boat takes about three hours, rather than the more convenient hour and a half the road would allow, it’s another option for folks heading to Port Alberni. “They just need to call us and make a reservation,” Willmon said. “Most of the residents down there still do use our services on and off, so they’re quite familiar with the schedule.”The company sails on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays year-round, departing Bamfield at 1:30 p.m. Because of the sailing schedule, people would likely still need to stay over in Port Alberni for a couple of nights. If needed, Willmon said they’ll run extra sailings. “So far, that hasn’t been necessary.”McPhee said his community is still waiting patiently for everything to return to normal. “In the winter time you will get heavy storms and we could be out of power for a few days or a week here at times. But that’s winter time stuff that we’re kind of ready for.”We’re just waiting until things are back in service again.”With files from All Points West, On The Island and The Canadian Press
Bamfield boat company offering free travel to Port Alberni for locals while road remains closed
