The wildfire situation is continually evolving, and the information below is current as of 7 p.m. (Pacific time) on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021.For real-time updates on evacuation alerts and orders, visit: https://twitter.com/EmergencyInfoBCFor the latest wildfire information, visit: www.bcwildfire.caFires:Wildfires currently burning in B.C.: 286Since April 1, 2021:1,372 wildfires567,950 hectares of area burnedActive fires by fire centre:Cariboo: 53Coastal: 20Kamloops: 78Northwest: 8Prince George: 59Southeast: 68Resources:Firefighters and other personnel currently fighting the fires: 3,612Out-of-p

The man convicted as a teenager for a double slaying in Tsawwassen more than 30 years ago will remain on day parole for at least another six months. Derik Lord, who is now 48, has always denied his role in the 1990 slayings of Sharon Huenemann and Doris Leatherbarrow. Lord and two other teens, including the son and grandson of the victims, were convicted of first-degree murder in the deaths. Because Lord maintained his innocence, he was denied parole more than 10 times before receiving it in March last year, and the parole board has allowed his day parole to continue, with re-evaluation plann

Hundreds of residents living along a stretch of Highway 97 between Kamloops and Vernon have been told to evacuate as the White Rock Lake wildfire advances. There's concern that winds today could fan the 325-square kilometre fire, so the roughly 600 residents of the community of Falkland were ordered out last night, along with residents in the Westwold and Monte Lake area. The number of wildfires in BC has grown significantly this week to almost 300 and the wildfire service says nearly 42 per cent of those blazes remain out of control. There is some positive news as evacuation orders issued la

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he is considering making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for some federally regulated workplaces such as airlines. It is the first time Trudeau has openly supported any form of compulsory vaccinations. U.S. President Joe Biden last week introduced measures requiring federal employees and contractors to show proof of vaccination or be subjected to new rules including mandatory masking and weekly testing for COVID-19. Trudeau says he fully supports that plan and that the government is in discussions with the federal public service about whether there are some

Metro Vancouver's transportation network says it's launching a new feature with the Transit app allowing riders to see the estimated number of seats left on buses. TransLink says the estimates are based on historical ridership data and they'll help riders feel confident knowing there will be room on the bus before leaving home. David Block-Schachter with the Transit app says the feature will make a difference if you use a wheelchair, are carrying luggage, or just want to feel comfortable. The app is part of TransLink's campaign to reconnect people with public transit after ridership dropped o

British Columbians are invited to provide input into the development of made-in-B.C. permanent paid sick leave to support workers and protect workplaces."One of the most critical lessons from the pandemic was the importance of people staying home when they are sick, to contain the spread of an illness and keep workplaces productive," said Harry Bains, Minister of Labour. "But many workers, especially those in lower-paying jobs without benefits, simply can't afford to lose wages by missing work due to illness or personal injury. That's why we are creating a permanent paid sick leave entitlement

Quebec Premier Francois Legault says the government will impose a vaccine passport system following a recent rise in COVID-19 infections. Legault said today that Health Minister Christian Dube will announce details in the coming days about how the system will work and when it will begin. The announcement came as health officials reported 305 new COVID-19 cases in the province, including 72 in Montreal that are still under investigation and could be corrected. There were no new deaths attributed to COVID-19, but 60 patients were listed in hospital, an increase of two, with one less patient in i

Damian Warner has become the first Canadian to win the gold medal in the decathlon.The 31-year-old from London, Ontario set an Olympic record in the process -- with nine-thousand and 18 points.That shattered the previous Olympic record of 88-hundred and 93 points.Warner often wore an ice vest during the competition to battle the high heat and humidity in Tokyo during the gruelling 10-event competition.Pierce LePage of Whitby, Ontario finished fifth, with a personal-best score of 86-hundred and four points.

President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated wrestler Ravi Dahiya who bagged a Silver medal in Tokyo Olympics on Thursday. "India is proud of Ravi Dahiya for winning the wrestling Silver at #Tokyo2020. You came back into bouts from very difficult situations and won them. Like a true champion, you demonstrated your inner strength too. Congratulations for the exemplary wins & bringing glory to India," tweeted Rashtrapati Bhavan.Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country takes great pride in Ravi Dahiya's achievement. "Ravi Kumar Dahiya is a remarkable wrestler!