The view from Nanaimo North Town Centre Thursday morning around 9 a.m., showing smoke coming from the Andres Rd. and Jingle Pot Rd. area. The smoke settled low in the sky and could be seen and smelled in the air across Nanaimo. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

smoky skies

Rural fire sweeps smoke across much of Nanaimo

Feb 15, 2024 | 9:48 AM

NANAIMO — A blanket of smoke across much of the city Thursday morning came from a rural property burn.

Smoke moved across Nanaimo’s north and central areas in the 8 a.m. hour on Thursday, Feb. 15, stemming from a work site near off the end of Bell Rd in the north Jingle Pot Rd. area, just west of city limits.

Multiple calls came to first responders regarding the smoke with Nanaimo Fire Rescue crews responding to at least two in the city’s north end.

Multiple smoke stacks sent haze across Nanaimo Thursday morning, covering much of the city’s north and central areas in smoke. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Cool temperatures in the morning, with the mercury near freezing around the time of the fire, saw much of the smoke trapped low to the ground.

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Smoke had largely dissipated by around 9:30 a.m. with a light breeze pushing it away.

While the source of the burn piles is in Electoral Area C of the regional district, the East Wellington Volunteer Fire Dept. confirmed the property is not within their jurisdiction, but is in fact contracted out by the City of Nanaimo.

Burning is not allowed if the Ministry of Forests has a ban in place, or if the venting index and forecast is not ‘good’.

As of Thursday morning, the venting index for central Vancouver Island was listed as ‘poor’, however was forecast to improve considerably throughout the day.

Two pronounced smoke stacks were visible from a rural property west of Nanaimo Thursday morning. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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