A new wildfire that flared up this morning just outside Peachland, west of Highway 97, has closed the main route through the south Okanagan until further notice. The BC Wildfire Service says the fire is considered out-of-control and a 10 person crew, backed by Peachland firefighters, is aggressively attacking the flames, which have charred less than a hectare and are not threatening any homes. The blaze comes as Natural Resources Canada forest ecologist Yan Boulanger says a heat wave across much of Western Canada has pushed the wildfire risk to what he calls ``extremely extreme.'' Another wil

On June 25, 2021, shortly after 8:30 p.m., Richmond RCMP responded to a 911 call of shots fired at a residence near Barnard Drive and Westminster Highway. Front line officers arrived and found two deceased persons. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) took conduct of the file. Evidence gathered so far indicates that this was an isolated incident and that one of the deceased was a victim of a homicide. This incident is not related to the gang conflict. There is no risk to the public. IHIT is continuing to work with its partners at the Richmond RCMP, Integrated Forensic Identificati

BC Hydro says it expects the new record for peak hourly demand during the summer set over the weekend could be broken today as the heat wave peaks. The Crown utility says demand on Saturday night surpassed the previous record set last August, though it's reassuring customers its system can meet demand. It says peak hourly demand is usually recorded on weekdays when customers follow a more routine schedule, which makes Saturday's record even more unique. It suggests closing drapes and blinds to block out heat and opting for smaller appliances when cooking to save money and keep cool.

The Mounties say they are investigating a suspicious fire at an abandoned church in northwestern British Columbia. New Hazelton RCMP say the fire was reported early Saturday morning on the Gitwangak First Nation and was quickly extinguished with minimal damage and no injuries. Staff Sgt. Darren Durnin says in a statement that police want to know if the blaze could be linked to four recent fires at churches within Indigenous communities in the south Okanagan. A social media post from the Gitwangak Band says the former Anglican Church in that community is no longer used and it is in ``no way af

Environment Canada warns the torrid heat wave that has settled over much of Western Canada won't lift for days, although parts of British Columbia and Yukon could see some relief sooner. Heat warnings remain posted across B.C. and Alberta, large parts of Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories and a section of Yukon as the weather office forecasts temperatures reaching 40 C in some areas.Sixty temperature records fell Sunday in B.C., including in the Village of Lytton, where the mercury reached 46.6 C -- breaking the all-time Canadian high of 45 C, set in Saskatchewan in 1937.Environment Canada w

British Columbia health officials are urging residents to prepare for high temperatures if they attend vaccination clinics this weekend. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix say in a joint statement that many pop-up vaccination sites have moved indoors to cooler locations in preparation for the extreme heat expected this weekend. B.C. reported 72 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, for a total of 147,418 since the pandemic began. The province is also reporting two new deaths along with 1,096 active cases. The statement says 76.2 per cent of all residents 12 and

A BC Supreme Court judge says she will hand down sentencing on July 7th for the man convicted of stabbing two young girls inside an Abbotsford high school killing one of them. Gabriel Klein was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old Letisha Reimer and aggravated assault in the stabbing of her friend. The murder conviction brings an automatic life sentence, but the judge must determine when Klein will be eligible for parole. The defence told the court Klein should be eligible after 12 years, while the Crown says he should have to serve a minimum of 18 years.

City Council has approved the personal use of privately-owned electric kick scooters throughout Vancouver on minor streets (without lane lines or directional dividing lines) and protected bike lanes as part of a provincially led pilot program.People using electric kick scooters must follow the same rules as cyclists and be at least 16 years old. Eligible scooters must meet provincial requirements, including being limited to speeds below 24km/h. A driver’s licence and insurance are not required. Rentals and shared programs are not part of the pilot at this time but may be considered in the fu

Two children have died in BC after falling from windows this year, and that has a pediatric neurosurgeon urging parents to take precautions, especially as a heat wave is forecast for the province. But Doctor Ash Singhal says the provincial government should also require the construction industry to restrict openings of windows to protect kids. He notes that along with the fatalities, several other kids have been treated at BC Children's Hospital for injuries suffered in falls. The National Research Council accepted a proposal by the City of Calgary last year to change the national building co