The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen has issued an evacuation alert for 43 properties northwest of Princeton as a small wildfire burns nearby. The blaze was sparked Sunday by lightning but had charred just 22 hectares by yesterday evening. A crew of 50, backed by heavy equipment, helicopters and airtankers, is assigned to contain the fire, which is the largest of just over 20 that broke out over the long weekend. The BC Wildfire Service lists the fire danger across much of the southern quarter of the province as high to extreme but Environment Canada says cooler weather and rain are

Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, have issued a joint statement regarding updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response in British Columbia. "Today, we are announcing 50 new cases, including five epi-linked cases, for a total of 3,641 cases in British Columbia. "There are 278 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 3,168 people who tested positive have recovered. "Of the total COVID-19 cases, five individuals are hospitalized, two of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-

New COVID-19 guidelines for post-secondary institutions, ranging from transportation to support for international students, have been released as colleges and universities gear up for the start of classes in the fall. Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training Melanie Mark says in a statement that the "Go Forward" guidelines will provide greater certainty to staff, students and faculty. She says the guidelines provide a minimum standard for institutions to follow. Mark says her ministry will work with the sector toward a full reopening, when it's safe. She expects all 25 of B.C.'s pos

The BC Prosecution Service says there will be no charges against a Langley RCMP officer involved in an off-duty motorcycle crash last year.The officer's SUV and the motorcycle collided in a Langley intersection on July 1, 2019, seriously injuring the motorcycle driver.B.C.'s police watchdog, the Independent Investigations Office, looked into the crash and filed its report in April to the prosecution service for consideration of charges.The officer faced potential charges including careless driving and unsafe lane change. But the prosecution service says the available evidence doesn't meet its

The number of fatal overdoses in Yukon has leaped to 13 so far this year, more than doubling the number recorded in the territory for all of last year. Yukon Health Minister Pauline Frost says most of the deaths are linked to increasingly toxic opioids that have replaced the regular supply of street drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic. She says drug testing will be stepped up across Yukon and several other harm reduction measures are being launched. Enhanced training on the use of naloxone, which can reverse opioid overdoses, begins next week in Watson Lake and the community will proclaim Augu

A worker at an overdose prevention site in Vancouver is being remembered as a ``beautiful person'' who ``saved many lives.'' Vancouver police say 41 year old Thomas Donaghy was fatally stabbed after being involved in a fight with an unknown man outside the overdose prevention clinic where he was working. Fellow volunteers at the clinic say Donaghy had just stepped out for a break at about 8:30 Monday when he was attacked and stabbed. Police are seeking dash cam video taken near St. Paul's Hospital at that time and say investigators believe several witnesses to the city's ninth murder of the y

British Columbia's massive Site C hydroelectric dam project has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and now faces construction delays and rising costs.BC Hydro president Chris O'Riley says in a quarterly update submitted to the B.C. Utilities Commission that the pandemic has had a material impact on safety, cost and schedule for the project in northeast B.C.Site C's budget in April 2018 was estimated at $10.7 billion, including reserve and contingency funds amounting to about $1.5 billion for unexpected costs.O'Riley's update to the utilities commission does not estimate the extent of incre

There are currently five people in hospital, sickened with COVID-19, the lowest number since March. Health Minister Adrian Dix says he's pleased to see the lower figure from the peak of 144 people in hospital. There are no deaths to report, but another 29 positive cases have been added to list. While there are no new outbreaks, there are now 59 cases linked to Fraser Valley Packers, the Abbotsford berry packing plant. Total number of COVID-19 cases in British Columbia is now 3,591.

The Tahltan Nation has issued a notice that the public should avoid its territory in northwest British Columbia until the there's a vaccine or community immunity for COVID-19.The Tahltan says in a statement that the consequences of spreading COVID-19 are too great, given the limited access to acute medical care for residents.The nation's territory spans almost 96,000 square kilometres of land or about 11 per cent of the province.The statement says all non-essential travel to Dease Lake, Iskut and Telegraph Creek should be avoided and all recreational activity access points will be blocked with