Helicopter and ground crews continue to battle a blaze east of Sooke Potholes Regional Park that remains listed as out of control and grew from five to 30 hectares overnight. It grew another 20 hectares by 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The fire, dubbed Old Man Lake by BC Wildfire Service, was discovered on Monday (July 22), prompting an evacuation of both the park and a nearby campground.
The provincial wildfire team responded with three crews and three helicopters bucketing alongside local firefighters, officers and Capital Regional District staff.
Listed as likely human-caused, BC Wildfire estimated the fire covered five hectares by day's end Monday.
“This morning we were able to get a better view as to what was under the smoke at the head of the fire,” fire information officer Sam Bellion told the Sooke News Mirror on Tuesday (July 23).
The fire was also stoked by sustained winds until after midnight, Bellion said.
Suspected to be human-caused, as of midday Tuesday, the wildfire remained listed as out of control – defined as spreading or anticipated to spread beyond the current perimeter, or control line.
“Crews have been working through the night and into this morning on the heel of the fire where they’ve had some good operational workable objectives,” Bellion said.
The heel of the fire backs up to the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, which remains closed to the public in that area. Residents can expect to see the aerial attack continue, as work on both the north and south flanks of the fire are hampered by steep and broken terrain as well as smoke.
With the fire reported nine kilometres north of Sooke, the district enacted its emergency operations centre to support communication and coordination in response to the wildfire.
The Sooke Potholes Gateway, Galloping Goose Trail entering the potholes and the Sooke Potholes Regional Park, including Spring Salmon Campground remain closed until further notice.
People evacuated from the campground can collect their gear by checking in at the Sooke Potholes Gateway and register to be escorted on site to “promptly clear all belongings,” Sooke said in a news release Tuesday. Campers will then be escorted out of the park.
“Best efforts will be made to provide support quickly, while we respond to what may be a changing situation,” the release said, asking for patience.
While the risk to the public remains low, the recreation service closures remain in effect until further notice.
In B.C. 74 wildfires started in the last 24 hours, and 54 were declared out, with 362 active blazes as of Tuesday morning.
The Sooke blaze is one of two active fires on Vancouver Island. A blaze in Nanaimo is listed as under control.
Multiple fire departments were called upon to tackle the fire that broke out in the at Harmac Pacific’s pulp mill bark mulch hog fuel piles in Cedar shortly before 5 p.m. on July 13.
