Merritt’s fire chief has ordered the immediate closure of all hiking and biking trails in forested areas under the city’s jurisdiction, citing the risk of human-caused wildfires. Fire Chief David A. Tomkinson said the restriction took effect Monday and will remain in place until Sept. 15. Members of the public are not permitted to enter the affected trails and forested areas during the closure. According to the city, the closure is authorized under its bylaw, which allows the administration to restrict access to areas when necessary to protect public safety and property. Tomkinson said the

Drivers in Delta should expect overnight closures on Highway 99 as crews install new bridge girders for the 78th Street overpass. The closures are scheduled for Monday, Aug. 10, and Tuesday, Aug. 11. Work will begin with lane restrictions before the highway is fully closed in each direction. Southbound lane closures are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., with a full southbound closure at 8 p.m. Northbound lane closures will begin at 8 p.m., followed by a full northbound closure at 9 p.m. The closures will affect Highway 99 between the Highway 91 and Highway 17 interchanges. The highway is expected

The Canadian Armed Forces have been placed on standby to assist communities affected by wildfires in British Columbia, as thousands of residents in the Okanagan region have been forced from their homes. Defence Minister David McGuinty said military assistance will be deployed once the B.C. government makes a formal request for troops to operate on the ground. McGuinty said the provincial government submitted a formal request over the weekend through Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski. Federal assistance has since been approved to help provide accommodation and temporary shelter fo

Vancouver police are asking the public to help identify a man accused of assaulting a 73-year-old man in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood on July 31. According to Vancouver Police Department, officers were called after the two men became involved in a verbal altercation. Police allege the suspect had been yelling at passersby before the victim approached him and asked him to stop and leave the area. Investigators allege the suspect then pushed the victim to the ground. The 73-year-old suffered head injuries in the incident, police said. Police describe the suspect as a Caucasian man with

Several First Nations leaders in British Columbia are calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to immediately stop efforts to advance a proposed West Coast oil pipeline. In a letter to Carney and Smith, the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs opposed the project, saying further expansion of the oil industry could contribute to climate change and increase the risks associated with natural disasters. The First Nations leaders allege that governments have not engaged in meaningful consultation with them. They say the proposed pipeline route and potential invest

A person was injured in a targeted shooting outside a home in Surrey’s Whalley area late Friday night. According to the Surrey Police Service, officers responded to the area of 88 Avenue and 127 Street at about 11:45 p.m. and found the victim suffering from a gunshot wound. The suspect had left the scene before police arrived. BC Emergency Health Services transported the victim to hospital. Police say the person’s injuries are not considered life-threatening. The Surrey Police Service Major Crime Section is investigating. Police say their initial investigation indicates the shooting appear

A 31-year-old man from Mississauga has died after a boat overturned on Stewart Lake in central Ontario, according to Ontario Provincial Police. Police said emergency crews were called to the area near Georgian Bay Township at about 8 p.m. Saturday after receiving a report of a missing person in the lake. The boat, carrying two people, overturned about 40 feet from shore, police said. One person was safely removed from the water by a nearby boater, while the second person went underwater and did not resurface. The OPP’s Underwater Search and Recovery Unit recovered the 31-year-old man’s bod

A motorcyclist was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries after a collision in Surrey early Friday following an attempted traffic stop by the Surrey Police Service. According to a Surrey Police Service news release, an officer attempted to stop a speeding motorcycle at about 3:30 a.m. near the Trans-Canada Highway and the 104 Avenue off-ramp. Police said the rider fled into oncoming traffic before colliding with a civilian vehicle. The motorcyclist was transported to hospital by BC Emergency Health Services for treatment. Police said no other people were injured in th

RCMP are investigating five suspicious brush fires reported in the Shuswap Lake area after multiple fires broke out within a short period Wednesday evening while the region was under an extreme wildfire danger rating. According to the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, three fires were reported along Squilax–Anglemont Road, each approximately 100 metres apart. Shortly afterward, two additional fires were reported in the nearby Anglemont Estates area. Officials said the fires were contained quickly due to the prompt response of local residents and firefighters, preventing significant damage.