Rain helped but fire near Sooke continues to burn out of control

By Carla Wilson
The Times Colonist
July 30, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

VANCOUVER ISLAND — 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.”

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