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

Conservation officers are scouring Stanley Park in Vancouver for a coyote that bit a young boy. The Conservation Officer Service says in a statement that the 5 year old was bitten on the leg Tuesday night. The statement says the boy had run ahead of his family while they were visiting Prospect Point. His parents were able to scare the coyote away and the youngster was not seriously hurt. It's the latest in a series of confrontations between humans and coyotes in the park, with most nips on passing joggers. However, a 2 year old was bitten last month and needed hospital care.

Support is growing across the country for vaccine passports.Ottawa will launch one this fall for international travel and Quebec is getting ready to introduce its own for people who want to attend public events, or go to a gym, restaurants or bars.Winnipeg Jets fans who want to go to home games will have to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.Calgary Chamber of Commerce president Deborah Yedlin is in favour of vaccine passports, saying they would be an added safety measure as Alberta prepares to scale back testing, masking and isolation requirements on Monday.

A large scale new study has proved that being overweight causes depression and lowers wellbeing. It further indicated that both social and physical factors may play a role in the effect. The findings of the study were published in the journal 'Human Molecular Genetics'. With one in four adults estimated to be obese in the UK and growing numbers of children affected, obesity is a global health challenge.Researchers are now discovering that being overweight can also have a significant impact on mental health.The study sought to investigate why a body of evidence now indicates that higher BMI cau

Vancouver police say charges have been approved against two suspects in the fatal shooting of a 40-year-old man last month. Police say Michael Bailey was shot inside the London Hotel around 5 am on July 20th. They say 26 year old Ba Hui Tran has been charged with manslaughter and 37 year old Joseph Mason has been charged with second degree murder. Both men are from Vancouver and are being held in custody. Vancouver police on Twitter: #VPDnews: Two men have now been charged in the murder of Michael Bailey, 40, who was shot inside the London Hotel on July 20. Ba Hui Tran, 26, is charged with ma

British Columbia officials are reassuring residents that health and emergency services are ready to help people through another heat wave this week. The Health Ministry is urging those in areas where heat and smoky skies warnings have been posted to take steps to keep cool and stay safe as many parts of the province continue to experience poor air quality due to wildfires. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says in a statement that people must be extra vigilant and check in with those who are most at risk during heat waves, including seniors, infants, children and those with chronic he

The COVID-19 infection rate in British Columbia has leaped to 536, a figure not seen since mid-May. A Health Ministry statement says there are more than 3,500 active cases in the province and more than half of those are in the Interior Health region. New restrictions were introduced last week by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry in the central Okanagan region as case counts multiplied, spurred by the more contagious Delta variant. There has been one more death and outbreaks are increasing in B.C.'s long-term care sector, with the discovery of COVID-19 in eight care homes around the p