British ColumbiaFirefighters are responding to a structure fire at a former lumber mill under demolition in Delta, B.C., according to the local fire department.Firefighters on scene, residents asked to avoid areaLauren Vanderdeen · CBC News · Posted: Nov 20, 2025 2:15 PM EST | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 2 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Firefighters fight flames at a former mill on Alaska Way in Delta, B.C., on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. (Shane MacKichan)Firefighters are responding to a structure fire at a former lumber mill under demolition in Delta, B.C.Crews were dispatched to the blaze on Alaska Way at 9:09 a.m. PT, according to the City of Delta.”Both Delta Fire and Surrey Fire crews are currently on site working to extinguish the fire,” the city said in an emailed statement.Delta Fire Department Deputy Chief Mike Donoghue said the fire is still burning, though it was about 70 per cent “knocked down” by midday.”It’s going good, the guys have been working hard, doing a good job battling the fire,” Donoghue said.When crews arrived, there was “super heavy smoke and fire” billowing about 200 feet in the air and flames were going through the roof, Donoghue said.Deputy fire chief of the Delta Fire Department Mike Donoghue says Delta and Surrey crews arrived on scene at around 9 a.m. (Murray Titus/CBC)Donoghue said a large fire happened at the same site about a year ago, after which the mill shut down operations.He said the mill is currently an active demolition site.The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to Donoghue, but crews don’t believe it was suspicious as there were demolition crews on site.No one was injured in the fire.Firefighters are on scene at the site of the former mill facility fire Thursday. (Jessica Cheung/CBC)The city is asking residents to avoid the area and take standard precautions if they are impacted by the smoke, including closing windows and staying indoors.Metro Vancouver is monitoring air quality, according to the city.There are currently no impacts to port operations, the port authority said in an emailed statement.Smoke and flames rise above the site of the former mill on Thursday. (Shane MacKichan)ABOUT THE AUTHORLauren Vanderdeen is a web writer for CBC British Columbia. She formerly worked for community newspapers, including the Burnaby Now and New West Record. You can reach her at lauren.vanderdeen@cbc.ca.With files from Michelle Morton and Jessica Cheung
Fire at former Delta, B.C., lumber mill sends smoke billowing over Fraser River
