Sooke Potholes wildfire not posing risk to water supply after growing to 169 hectares

The Capital Regional District (CRD) has said that the wildfire that broke out at Sooke Potholes on July 22 has now spread into Sea to Sea Regional Park.

According to the CRD, the fire is also around 5 kilometers south of watershed lands, but due to fire behaviour, terrain, and wind direction, it does not currently pose a risk to the Greater Victoria watershed lands or water quality.

If the fire were to reach the watershed area, ash and debris in Sooke Lake Reservoir could lead to increased turbidity, which could impact the effectiveness of the water treatment process, the CRD explained.

The CRD says it is working with BC Wildfire to identify lines of containment between the wildfire and the watershed lands.

As a result of growth on the fire, the CRD has closed several parks and trails as a result of the fire, including:

• Sea to Sea Regional Park
• Sooke Potholes Regional Park
• Spring Salmon Place (KWL-UCHUN) Campground
• The Galloping Goose Regional Trail is closed northbound at Kilometre 46, just south of the Todd Creek Trestle, at the boundary of Sea to Sea Regional Park
• Access to Kapoor Regional Park

In addition, the District of Sooke’s Potholes Gateway Park is closed, as are BC Parks in the area. Visitors are asked to avoid accessing these areas through other regional or provincial parks.