Green Island Lighthouse Diesel Spill
Last updated on June 6, 2025Disclaimer:
- Information provided is based on reports received by Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR)
- Information provided is considered to be current at the time of posting, but is subject to change
Incident description
| Incident Date | June 3, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Name | DGIR: 252157 |
| Source | Fuel tank |
| Nearest Community | Prince Rupert, B.C. |
| Spilled Content | Diesel |
| Who is involved |
Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV), Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR), Metlakatla First Nation, Gitga'at First Nation, Haisla Nation, Lax Kw'alaams Band, Gitxaala Nation, First Nation Health authority (FNHA) |
Response phase details
The responsible person or spiller is legally required to cleanup or manage the cleanup of a spill.
In incidents where the responsible person is unknown, unable or unwilling to manage the cleanup, the Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV) may assume the role.
The updates below reflect the ministry’s oversight of the spillers’ actions. Details describe the spill response phase only and not the complete lifecycle of the spill. Visit the 'More information' page for other reports.
Updates are in reverse chronological order with the most recent at the top.
Industry-specific language may be explained in the Glossary of Terms (PDF, 106KB).
Most recent updates
June 6, 2025
This is an operational update from Unified Command (UC) for the diesel spill at the Green Island Lighthouse, off the northwest coast of B.C.
- On June 03, 2025, at approximately 10:00am, the Green Island light station keep reported that an equipment failure occurred at the Canadian Coast Guard’s facility (located northwest of Prince Rupert in Chatham Sound) - resulting in a spill of 4,600 litres of diesel fuel that discharged onto land, with an unknown portion entering the ocean.
- Due to tidal action in the area, the diesel in the marine environment is not recoverable and is anticipated to continue to rapidly evaporate and disperse. The Canadian Coast Guard is ready to respond should the situation change.
- As the polluter, the Canadian Coast Guard has retained a Qualified Professional to undertake response and clean up of the land-based operation. This is being coordinated by the Fisheries and Ocean Canada (DFO) Real Property.
- Unified Command has been established with the Canadian Coast Guard, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Gitxaala, Lax Kw'alaams, Metlakatla, Haisla and BC Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV).
- Unified Command is developing a soil and intertidal area sampling plan in coordination with the Nation’s to better understand impacts.
Further updates will be made once more information is available.
June 4, 2025
A diesel spill was reported from Green Island Lighthouse on Green Island, B.C., on June 3, 2025. An estimated 4,600 liters was released. There are impacts to land and the marine environment.
Unified Command has been established with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV), and local First Nations.
Resources are being mobilized to Unified Command and to the site for response and mitigation.
Further updates will be made once more information is available.