Despite recent rain, the 230-hectare Old Man Lake fire near Sooke is still classified as out of control, although showers overnight Sunday and into Monday reduced the fire’s intensity, a wildfire official said Monday.
“This isn’t a significant amount of rain,” Coastal Fire Centre information officer Kimberly Kelly said Monday, noting warming and drying weather is anticipated later this week, which means the fire-danger rating will remain high.
The good news is that the wildfire has not grown since the weekend, she said — it remains 230 hectares, or just over two square kilometres.
“It’s not that it is burning vigorously. It’s just that the terrain is so steep and challenging for our crews.”
While today’s forecast for Greater Victoria is for cloudy skies and a 30 per cent chance of rain showers, by Thursday, sunny skies and a high of 27 C is predicted.
After that, sun is expected through the weekend, according to Environment Canada. Fire officials have said that material that can fuel fires takes just a few days to dry out.
Helicopters dropped water on the fire Monday, with 70 people working to contain the blaze. Boaters on Shawnigan Lake are being asked to stay out of the way of firefighting aircraft scooping up water to fight the fire.
Along with initial attack crews, contract workers are on the scene and the Capital Regional District’s watershed fire crews are on duty, as well as some specialists and support staff, Kelly said.
The two parattack crews, sometimes called “smokejumpers,” who parachuted into the east flank of the fire in steep terrain on Friday were set to leave Monday for fires elsewhere in the province, after helping to contain the eastern flank.
The fire’s western flank remains fully contained.
Ground crews are working on the north and south flanks, supported by planes and helicopters, also targeting the east side of the fire, Kelly said.
The fire’s southern flank is nine kilometres north of Sooke and five kilometres south of the Sooke Lake Reservoir, a key part of the region’s water supply.
Kelly noted that the B.C. Wildfire Service has an app where people can find current fire information and contact officials if they spot a fire. (Go to ww2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/wildfire-status and click on the app link.)
The wildfire service counts on people reporting fires, she said, adding 40 per cent of wildfires are detected by the public.
“Early detection means early attack, which can really make the difference.”
