A “prescribed burn” at a 50-hectare site on CFB Esquimalt land near Sooke could begin Friday.
The burn is being conducted at a site 13 kilometres southeast of Sooke by the Department of National Defence and the B.C. Wildfire Service.
The exact timing of the burn will depend on weather and conditions at the site. Smoke could be visible around Greater Victoria.
“The goal of this prescribed burn is to mitigate wildfire risks, maintain open natural landscapes for military training, and protect and restore rare Garry Oak ecosystems which support a large number of species at risk,” the B.C. Wildfire Service said in a statement.
“Key goals are to mimic naturally occurring ground fires, reduce the accumulations of dead and combustible material, and decrease the risk of future catastrophic wildfires in the area.”
Prescribed burns have been done on the property since 2017.
