Prescribed Burn in the Watershed - May 9

What is Prescribed Burning?

Prescribed burns are the planned and intentional use of fire on a specific land area. It is one of the most ecologically appropriate and relatively efficient means for achieving a range of objectives, such as habitat enhancement, preparation for tree planting or disease eradication.

Other Benefits of Prescribed Burning?

Prescribed burns can also contribute to achieving air quality and climate action targets by preventing large, intense wildfires and replacing them with more frequent, well-timed, well-planned low-intensity fires.

Are Prescribed Burns Safe?

Yes. Prescribed burns are planned months in advance and are managed to minimize the chance of escape and smoke impacts while maximizing the benefits to the site.

Details for May 9 Prescribed Burn

Time & Location

The Watershed Protection division of Infrastructure & Water Services conducted a prescribed burn on May 9 from approximately 11 am to 4:00 pm to remove some of the fine woody debris left after mechanical tree thinning. In total, there are three small prescribed burn zones in close proximity that are located North West of Sooke Lake, between Sooke Lake and Grant Lake.  Each of the burn zones measure approximately 1 acre in size. For exact locations of the prescribed burn zones, please refer to our map [PDF/1.1MB]. 

What to Expect During the Burn

It is anticipated that the prescribed burn will produce a noticeable amount of smoke for about 3 hours while being lit and slight amounts of smoke for the following 24-48 hours. Forecasted winds are anticipated to draw the smoke away from Langford residents at the time of ignition however, residents of Shawnigan Lake may experience some smoke. As a precaution, CRD crews will monitor and patrol the burn zones over the weekend. 

If you have any questions or concerns about the prescribed burn, please contact our Wildfire Emergency Duty Officer at wedo@crd.bc.ca