The Old Man Lake wildfire north of Sooke has more than doubled in size throughout the day on Wednesday, July 24, now sitting at 169 hectares, according to BC Wildfire Services.
It remains out of control at this time. According to the update provided by BC Wildfire Services at 4:17 p.m., resources assigned to battle the blaze remain the same - four initial attack crews, one 10-person Capital Regional District (CRD) crew, and three helicopters battling the blaze.
The CRD has confirmed the wildfire has spread into Sea-to-Sky Regional Park, which is now closed to the public, joining Sooke Potholes Regional Park, a nearby section of Galloping Goose Trail and Spring Salmon Campground. They will remain closed until further notice.
Black Press Media has reached out to BC Wildfire Services for more information.
Around mid-day on Wednesday, the District of Sooke released a statement saying "we understand that the fire is moving away from the District of Sooke, and we do not believe there is an immediate risk to our residents. However, we understand that situations like this can change."
Earlier in the day, the district said they urge residents to take necessary precautions to protect their health during the wildfire.
"As wildfire smoke affects air quality in the region, it is important to stay informed and take steps to minimize exposure," noted the morning update.
The District of Sooke said earlier in the day they will be sending out an update at 5:30 p.m. The Sooke Emergency Operations Centre is open as well as a comfort centre at the Sooke library, 6671 Wadams Way for those looking for relief from the poor air quality.
Greater Victoria is one of many parts of the province currently under an Environment Canada smoky skies bulletin, due to the smoke from the blaze.
The human-caused fire was discovered on Monday (July 22) afternoon and by Tuesday evening, smoke became highly visible across Greater Victoria.
People more likely to be impacted by wildfire smoke include seniors, pregnant women and pregnant people, people who smoke, infants and young children, people who work outdoors, people involved in strenuous outdoor exercise and people with an existing illness or chronic health condition. Those who are more likely to be impacted should reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors or seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms.
For those at risk, the province recommends limiting time outdoors and when indoors, keeping windows and doors closed as much as possible.
Find the BC Wildfire map online at wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca/map.
Follow the smoke at iresmoke.ca.
