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

The military officer who led Canada's COVID-19 vaccine distribution campaign has been charged with one count of sexual assault.Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin presented himself to police in Gatineau, Que., this morning after a warrant for his arrest was issued earlier this week.Fortin then told reporters that he does not know the details of the allegation against him, despite repeated requests from his legal team.Fortin's lawyers have said the only information they received is that the charge relates to an alleged incident that happened in 1988.Fortin was abruptly removed from his post at the Public Hea

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has been acclaimed as the candidate in Burnaby South.Singh says the climate crisis has been ``ravaging'' communities across Canada, while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has presided over the purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline and rising national emissions after the Paris climate agreement.He says he would normally encourage people to give money to help get New Democrats elected, but given the destructive wildfires burning across B-C's southern Interior, he encouraged donations to firefighting and relief efforts.Earlier in the day, Singh visited Novo Textile

On the second day of the monsoon session of the Uttar Pradesh assembly, Congress leaders held a march from Gandhi Statue to the state Assembly to protest against inflation, COVID-19 deaths, and on the issue of women's safety.Speaking to ANI, Aradhana Mishra, a Congress MLA, said, "The state government has turned a deaf ear to the issues of the common people. If people raise their voices against inflation, unemployment issues, the government confiscates their property. We are here to support the common people." Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) President Ajay Kumar Lallu said, "the Chief

Mohali girl Anureet Pal Kaur became talk of the town with her talent of playing Algoza. Algoza is a folk instrument, a paired woodwind instrument similar to the flute. A continuous flow of air is necessary as the player blows into the two flutes simultaneously. Anureet registered her name in India Book of Records for playing the instrument. She was also honoured at the Independence Day celebrations in Mohali. Anureet started to learn Algoza in the year 2017. Her master is International bassist Karamjit Singh Bagga. She is also an expert in Punjabi folk dance and Gatka.

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