Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is promising to spend half-a-billion dollars for training and new equipment for firefighters in advance of next year's forest fire season. Trudeau says Canada's forest fire fighting capabilities must be enhanced to confront stronger wildfires. Trudeau made the announcement in Vancouver, as more than 260 wildfires burn across British Columbia. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is promising creation of a community-based force to fight wildfires, if his government is re-elected in the September 20th federal election. Trudeau made the pledge this morning during a campaig

The wildfire situation is continually evolving, and the information below is current as of 7 p.m. (Pacific time) on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. Fires:Wildfires currently burning in B.C.: 264Since April 1, 2021:1, 518 wildfires846,144 hectares of area burnedActive fires by fire centre:Cariboo: 32Coastal: 18Kamloops: 85Northwest: 5Prince George: 57Southeast: 67Resources:Firefighters and other personnel currently fighting the fires: 3,830Out-of-province firefighters: 490Helicopters and planes supporting ground crews: 210Evacuations:Evacuation orders: 80 (-6)Evacuation alerts: 123 (-2)Properties:Numbe

The Conservation Officer Service says it has received a report involving another confrontation between people and coyotes in Vancouver's Stanley Park. A social media post from the Conservation Officer Service says a woman and her friend were picnicking near the south end of the park at about 1:30 a.m. Monday. The post says a coyote approached and bit both people on the leg, but officers couldn't immediately follow up because the matter wasn't reported right away. Nearly three dozen aggressive interactions have occurred between humans and coyotes in Stanley Park since late last year, including

A man was injured Tuesday after being shot by police during an altercation downtown. A police officer also sustained serious injuries.Vancouver Police were called around 5:30 a.m. today to a building near Drake Street and Granville Street for a man who was refusing to leave. One officer responded and a physical altercation occurred between the man and the responding officer, resulting in shots being fired.A 25-year-old man suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment. The officer, a senior member of the department, also required hospitalization.Vancouver Polic

B.C. is reporting 501 new cases of COVID-19, including nine epi-linked cases, for a total of 157,014 cases in the province.There are 5,296 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 149,847 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 111 individuals are in hospital and 51 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. In the past 24 hours, one new death (Island Health) has been reported, for an overall total of 1,781.There have been no new health-care facility outbreaks. There are 10 active outbreaks:long-term care: Kin Village West

On August 16, 2021, at approximately 8:45 pm, the Langley RCMP were called to the area of 204 street and Fraser Highway for reports of a shooting. A 36 year old, male victim was located near Cascades Casino with non-life threatening injuries. He was taken to the hospital and has since been released. Investigators believe this to be a targeted and isolated incident with no further risk to public safety. The Langley RCMP, Serious Crime Unit has taken conduct of the investigation. Anyone with information or surveillance footage is asked to contact the Langley RCMP non-emergency line.

New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh is campaigning in Metro Vancouver today in advance of his nomination meeting this afternoon in his Burnaby South riding. Singh started the day with a policy announcement, pledging an NDP government would invest in small, community businesses, rather than allow what the party calls the Liberal's ``massive no-strings attached giveaways to multinational corporations.'' Singh visited a Coquitlam bakery following the announcement. His nomination meeting and expected acclamation as the party's candidate is set for 5 p.m.

The wildfire situation is continually evolving, and the information below is current as of 7 p.m. (Pacific time) on Monday, Aug. 16, 2021.Fires:Since April 1, 2021:1,513 wildfires805,500 hectaresCurrently burning: 264Active fires by fire centre:Cariboo: 33Coastal: 20Kamloops: 84Northwest: 5Prince George: 58Southeast: 64Resources:Total personnel: 3,627Contract firefighters: 1,185Out-of-province personnel: 519Aircraft (rotary and fixed-wing): 209Evacuations:Evacuation orders: 86 (+12)Evacuation alerts: 125 (+6)Properties:Number of properties on order: 8,262 (+1,655)Number of properties on alert:

The RCMP have now made more than 630 arrests related to blockages set up to protest the logging of old-growth forests on southern Vancouver Island, including 56 people who have previously been arrested a combined total of 131 times. The Mounties say 462 people have been arrested for breaching a court-ordered injunction against blockades around the Fairy Creek watershed near Port Renfrew, while the remainder have been for obstruction, mischief and other offences. They say protesters continue to lock themselves into structures and trenches dug into forest service roads and the latest 13 arrests