Heat and air advisories on the Island in wildfire areas

Heat and air advisories on the Island in wildfire areas
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Smoke fills the air from the Nanaimo Lakes wildfire. An air quality advisory is in effect for east Vancouver Island, along with a heat warning.

Smoke fills the air from the Nanaimo Lakes wildfire. An air quality advisory is in effect for east Vancouver Island, along with a heat warning.

Crews battling the Nanaimo Lakes wildfire will have to do so in sweltering conditions for the next few days.

Environment Canada issued a heat warning for east and central Vancouver Island Tuesday morning, with hot temperatures forecast through Thursday.

The B.C. Wildfire Service says the estimated size of the Nanaimo Lakes fire has grown to 131 hectares.

The Coastal Fire Centre says there are six helicopters, heavy equipment and 55 personnel assigned to the blaze Tuesday.

An air quality advisory is also in effect because of smoke for Nanaimo/Parksville and Duncan.

Inland Vancouver Island is also under a heat warning, with a forecast high of 36 degrees Celsius in Port Alberni Wednesday.

A two-hectare fire began Monday, 1.6 kilometres northwest from the end of the Port Alberni Airport runway.

Great Central Lake Crews work on a fire just south of Turtle Lake and near the end of the Port Alberni Airport runway. The Coastal Fire Centre says crews are still at the scene but expect the 2.1-hectare fire to be under control Tuesday. Photo courtesy Facebook/Trestle RV Park.

Great Central Lake Crews work on a fire just south of Turtle Lake and near the end of the Port Alberni Airport runway. The Coastal Fire Centre says crews are still at the scene but expect the 2.1-hectare fire to be under control Tuesday. Photo courtesy Facebook/Trestle RV Park.

Crews from Coastal Fire and Sproat Lake are at the scene and the Coastal Fire Centre anticipates the fire to be under control Tuesday.

Environment Canada says significant cooling and rain is expected to begin Friday for much of the Island.

 

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