While the Sooke Regional Park wildfire continues to burn out of control, smoke from that fire and from the mainland could make its way to the island as early as Friday afternoon.
While Environment Canada has removed the special air quality statement, firesmoke.ca, a website that tracks smoke movement, predicts that smoke will begin to hover over much of Vancouver Island by this afternoon.
While the northern portion of the island saw smoke earlier this morning, it will begin to cover much of Greater Victoria as the day goes on.
According to the tracker, it appears much of the smoke is coming from northern BC wildfires.
As of the publication, there are currently 407 wildfires in BC, of those, 218 are considered out of control and five are considered wildfires of note.
As for the Sooke wildfire fire, also known as “Old Man Lake” remains out of control, however it has remained at 169 hectares in size since Wednesday night.
According to the latest weather forecast, parts of Vancouver Island could see rain as soon as Monday with a 70% chance of precipitation, according to Environment Canada.
As for the smoke, it is expected to clear out by late Saturday night should the direction of winds shift.
When smoke is heavy, Environment Canada advises limiting outdoor time to avoid health impacts. Those most affected include seniors, pregnant people, young children, infants, outdoor workers, and those doing strenuous activity. Well-fitted respiratory masks can help reduce exposure.
The Capital Regional District has closed several parks and trails in the area due to the Old Man Lake fire spreading. These closures include Sea to Sea Regional Park, Sooke Potholes Regional Park, the Galloping Goose Regional Trail northbound at Kilometre 46 (just south of the Todd Creek Trestle), and access to Kapoor Regional Park.
While no evacuation orders are imminent, the District of Sooke advises residents to prepare a grab-and-go bag with essential items for households and pets, as a precautionary measure.
