21.08°C Vancouver

Apr 22, 2026 6:20 PM - Connect Newsroom - Ramandeep Kaur with files from The Canadian Press

Coquihalla Highway reopens after trailer fire sparked roadside wildfire

Share On
coquihalla-highway-reopens-after-trailer-fire-sparked-roadside-wildfire
Traffic resumes on the Coquihalla Highway near Hope, B.C., after a semi-trailer fire and resulting wildfire prompted a closure.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

The Coquihalla Highway has reopened between Hope and Merritt after a semi-trailer fire forced a closure for much of Tuesday, according to the provincial government.

DriveBC, the Ministry of Transportation’s traveller information service, said the route reopened at about 7 p.m. Tuesday. In a post on the social media platform X, the agency said environmental cleanup was ongoing and advised motorists to use caution when travelling through the area.

The highway was փակ Monday night after a semi-trailer became fully engulfed in flames and came to a stop on the right shoulder. The fire spread to nearby wooded land, prompting a response from the BC Wildfire Service.

According to the wildfire service, crews brought the blaze under control. The cause of the initial vehicle fire has not been confirmed.

The Coquihalla Highway is a key transportation corridor linking British Columbia’s Lower Mainland with Interior regions, carrying commercial traffic and travellers between major population centres.

Latest news

canada-to-impose-matching-tariffs-on-u-s-goods-after-new-50-per-cent-u-s-tariffs
CanadaAug 24, 2026

Canada to impose matching tariffs on U.S. goods after new 50 per cent U.S. tariffs

Prime Minister Mark Carney has called the United States’ new 50 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods an attack on Canada’s economy and announced that Ottawa will respond with dollar-for-dollar tariffs beginning Sept. 8. Asked by reporters whether Canada has now entered a trade war with the United States, Carney said the country is responding to what he described as an economic attack. Carney acknowledged that tariffs could lead to higher prices and fewer choices for Canadians. He said, however, that rejecting what he characterized as a bad deal was in Canada’s interest. The prime minister
canada-us-trade-talks-collapse-as-ottawa-vows-dollar-for-dollar-tariff-response
CanadaAug 22, 2026

U.S. Tariffs on Canadian Imports Take Effect; PM Carney Warns of Dollar-for-Dollar Hit

U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports went into effect early Saturday morning after Prime Minister Mark Carney suspended trade negotiations just minutes before the midnight deadline. ​"I have decided to suspend trade negotiations with the U.S. and have directed Canada’s negotiators to return to Ottawa," Prime Minister Mark Carney said. "Last-minute changes in the U.S.-proposed terms were unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any deal. Canada will match those tariffs dollar for dollar to protect our workers and businesses." ​In a statement released Friday night, U.S.
18-year-old-shooting-suspect-turns-himself-in-to-burnaby-rcmp
BCAug 21, 2026

18-year-old shooting suspect turns himself in to Burnaby RCMP

A suspect wanted in connection with a December 2025 shooting in North Burnaby has turned himself in to authorities. Burnaby RCMP said officers responded on Dec. 19, 2025, to a report of a shooting near Phillips Avenue and Woodbrook Place. A man was found suffering from gunshot wounds and was taken to hospital for treatment. The RCMP’s Investigative Support Team took over the investigation. On Dec. 25, charges were laid and an arrest warrant was issued for 18-year-old Ronin Tajali. Tajali has since surrendered to police and remains in custody awaiting a bail hearing. Police thanked the public
leaders-condemn-nanaksar-gurdwara-attack-call-for-action-against-anti-sikh-hate
AlbertaAug 21, 2026

Leaders Condemn Nanaksar Gurdwara Attack, Call for Action Against Anti-Sikh Hate

Federal NDP MP for Edmonton Strathcona Heather McPherson, along with leaders from across the country, has strongly condemned the attack at Nanaksar Gurdwara Sahib and expressed solidarity with the Sikh community. They called for a full investigation into the incident, urging authorities to take the growing anti-Sikh hatred in Canada seriously and implement stronger measures to protect places of worship. McPherson said everyone has the right to practise their religion freely and that such violent attacks are unacceptable under any circumstances. Meanwhile, Surrey-Newton MP Sukh Dhaliwal express
poilievre-warns-accepting-u-s-tariffs-could-devastate-canadas-industrial-sector
BCAug 21, 2026

Poilievre Warns Accepting U.S. Tariffs Could Devastate Canada’s Industrial Sector

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre has lashed out at the Liberal government during ongoing Canada-U.S. trade talks in Washington, warning that accepting unilateral U.S. tariffs could devastate Canada’s industrial sector. Speaking to reporters in Kitchener, Ontario, Poilievre strongly criticized the proposed 25 per cent U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum. He said that if Canada accepts such discriminatory terms, major Canadian businesses and factories could leave the country, causing long-term damage to the Canadian economy. Taking aim at Prime Minister Mark Carney, Poilievre said Car

Related News