The Donnie Creek wildfire in northeastern British Columbia has now surpassed the 2017 Plateau fire as the largest individual fire ever recorded in the province’s history. The BC Wildfire Service says the blaze is more than 53-hundred square kilometres in size. A BC Wildfire Service information officer says the service expects the fire will continue to grow throughout the summer and crews expect to control the blaze into fall and winter. Marg Drysdale adds crews are focused on protecting infrastructure and the Alaska Highway.
The evacuation order for the One Island Lake community in the northeast corner of British Columbia’s been cancelled and residents can return home. But, the Peace River Regional District says an an evacuation alert is now in effect so they should remain prepared to leave with short notice. The BC Wildfire Service says the West Kiskatinaw wildfire is now 250 square kilometres in size, and still poses a threat to those residents. It is one of more than 80 active wildfires still burning across BC.
Environment Canada has issued a warning about potential snowfall on the Coquihalla and other Interior highways. It says wet snow or a mixture of rain and snow may create slippery conditions on highway passes in the region. The weather office says precipitation is expected to become more steady this morning and continue until tomorrow morning. The statement is in effect for the Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Kamloops, Highway 3 from Hope to Penticton via Allison Pass and the Okanagan Connector from Merritt to Kelowna.
A helicopter airline is offering a daily round-trip flight between Nanaimo and Port Alberni to help travellers impacted by the Highway 4 closure. Helijet says that, from Monday to Friday, a flight will leave Nanaimo at 9:30 a.m. and land in Port Alberni about 20 minutes later. The return flight departs Port Alberni at 10:30 a.m. and arrives back in Nanaimo at 10:50 a.m. The company says a one-way fare for the helicopter will cost travellers 175-dollars.
A coalition of mayors from BC’s largest communities are coming together to discuss bigger-city issues affecting them. Originally formed among the mayors of 13 cities during the pandemic, the Urban Mayors Caucus is being re-formed with 17 different communities. Co-chair Marianne Alto – the new mayor of Victoria – says she started putting the feelers out toward the end of winter. She says they plan to meet virtually once a month to discuss issues of common concern, including mental health and addiction, community safety, affordable housing and transit — with the goal of taking their concerns directly to provincial officials with a unified voice.
Independent Investigations Office of BC says it is investigating a car crash in Surrey. Surrey RCMP say officers attended the scene of the collision Sunday morning. The IIO is called in to investigate any incident of death or serious harm that involves a police officer in the province. The Mounties did not provide any further information.