As we head into a warm and sunny weekend, Vancouver Police are reminding everyone that open alcohol in public places is prohibited."Generally speaking, we have seen a substantial increase in open consumption of alcohol in the downtown core, despite there being designated spaces set out by the City of Vancouver," says Constable Tania Visintin, VPD.Along the Granville Entertainment District, officers report a 607 per cent increase in liquor pour outs since June 1, compared to the same period last year, and an 84 per cent increase since 2019."The Granville Mall is a place people are congregating

The wildfire situation is continually evolving, and the information below is current as of 7 p.m. (Pacific time) on Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021.Fires:Since April 1, 2021:1,486 wildfires660,071 hectares of area burnedWildfires burning in B.C.: 268Active fires by fire centre:Cariboo: 33Coastal: 23Kamloops: 87Northwest: 5Prince George: 60Southeast: 60Resources:Total personnel: 3,793Contract firefighters: 1,214Out-of-province personnel: 411Aircraft (rotary and fixed-wing): 205Evacuations:Evacuation orders: 56 (+1)Evacuation alerts: 108 (+3)Properties:Number of properties on order: 6,237 (+1,645)Number

BC's deputy forests minister says heat, low humidity and wind gusts are hobbling firefighting efforts in the province.Rick Manwaring says there's no rain in sight, temperatures are rising and gusty winds are expected across several parts of southern B-C.He says fire personnel usually take advantage of cooler temperatures at night to put in fire guards and take advantage of the decreased blaze behaviour.But this year, he says they haven't had much of a dip in temperatures or an increase in humidity to help them, especially in the south-central part of the province.

B.C. is reporting 513 new cases of COVID-19, including one epi-linked case, for a total of 154,362 cases in the province.There are 3,834 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 148,702 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 81 individuals are in hospital and 33 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. In the past 24 hours, one new death (Interior Health) has been reported, for an overall total of 1,779.There are eight active outbreaks in:long-term care: Holyrood Manor, Kin Village West Court, Evergreen Baptist Care Soc

Environment Canada says three temperature records were set in the southern Interior yesterday in advance of today's arrival of scorching conditions forecast for the region. Penticton's temperature of 36.7 easily broke a record for the day set in that city 54 years ago, while a setting of 37.5 broke a 40-year-old record in Princeton and fire-ravaged Lytton was again the hot spot at 40.3 degrees edging a record set seven years ago. The weather office warns heat, coupled with humidity could make conditions from Vancouver Island to the southern and central Interior feel like the mid to high-30s o

British Columbia will now require all people working in long-term care and assisted living facilities to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says people living in such settings are at particular risk to COVID-19 and transmission from unvaccinated people has led to outbreaks. Dr. Henry says the deadline for workers to get vaccinated is October 12.

The wildfire situation is continually evolving, and the information below is current as of 7 p.m. (Pacific time) on Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021.FiresWildfires currently burning in B.C.: 264Since April 1, 2021:1,472 wildfires656,445 hectares of area burnedActive fires by fire centre:Cariboo: 33Coastal: 21Kamloops: 84Northwest: 5Prince George: 58Southeast: 63ResourcesFirefighters and other personnel currently fighting the fires: 3,725Out-of-province firefighters: 439Helicopters and planes supporting ground crews: 207EvacuationsEvacuation orders: 55 (-5)Evacuation alerts: 105Properties:Number of pro

The Vancouver Aquarium has announced it is reopening to the public for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aquarium says it will open this Monday with a new 4-D theatre experience and a marine mammal rescue exhibit. But with COVID-19 still a factor, the aquarium says it will be managing capacity through an online guest reservation system. The aquarium was purchased earlier this year by the same company that operates Dollywood and other amusement parks. Vancouver Aquarium on Twitter: The Vancouver Aquarium is excited to officially reopen on Monday, August 16th. Everyon

BC Ferries says this weekend will be busy at terminals, and if you're travelling without a reservation on the major routes, you may want to consider a Saturday or Monday afternoon departure. The company says the mid-August weekend is traditionally busy as families either wrap up or start their vacations in the first two or last two weeks of the month. It suggests the best way to make your trip more enjoyable is to book in advance or be prepared for sailing waits. BC Ferries says if you can, leaving the car at home and taking transit to walk on the ferry is also a good alternative. BC Ferries