The gate was temporarily closed on May 19, 2026 by the South Island Natural Resource District Manager under Section 22.2 of the Forest and Range Practices Act, but its locks have been cut at least six times and a newly‑installed high‑security lock has been deliberately damaged, so the road is now unrestricted.

Ladysmith gets its water from the Stocking Lake and Holland Lake watersheds, reached via this road. The two watersheds provide drinking water for about 12,000 people in Ladysmith, the Stz’uminus First Nation, the Diamond Improvement District and the Saltair area of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. The lands are outside the town’s limits and are managed under provincial timber licences held by private and Indigenous forestry operators.

A human‑caused brush fire erupted on Aug 18, following another fire in the same area only weeks earlier. The town council wrote to the provincial government on June 26 and again on Aug 21, asking for stronger access controls, enforcement against trespassing and encampments, and for the humane relocation of people living in the watershed.

Mayor Deena Beeston warned that every day without action raises the chance of a catastrophic wildfire that could damage the water‑treatment infrastructure or cause serious injury or death. Communication and engagement specialist Nicholas Pescod added that the repeated vandalism is costing taxpayers and cannot be sustained.