MERRITT, B.C. - The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) has expanded its evacuation order in response to the Ainslie Creek wildfire west of Merritt.The evacuation order is in place for about 61 properties in Electoral Area "N" (Beautiful Nicola Valley - South) and includes the following addresses:2145 to...

CLINTON, B.C. - BC Hydro employees have restored services to Clinton, which was left without power since July 24 due to infrastructure damage caused by the massive Pear Lake wildfire.This comes as the power company said 350 employees and contractors are working to restore services across the Southern Interior.Power inf...

Officials in the Central Okanagan are urging people who have remained in their homes in areas under evacuation order to leave, saying forecasted winds may fan the flames of the Quilpituk Creek wildfire in the coming days. A statement from the region's ...

KAMLOOPS - The interior is no stranger when it comes to the smoke, but wildfires are changing more than just the views across the province. As air quality deteriorates, health officials say the impacts can be tolling on both physical, and mental health with daily life being disrupted. With the sky orange, and the air ...

KAMLOOPS - Kamloops is among many other places in southern B.C. where dense wildfire smoke is impacting mail delivery. Canada Post said Kamloops, 70 Mile House and the Okanagan have been issued a Red Alert on Friday (August 7), meaning mail will not be delivered until the alert level lowers."Wildfires and poor air...

FALKLAND B.C. - Just one hour after their new wildland firefighting truck was delivered, the Falkland Fire Department put it to use dousing a brush fire along Highway 97.The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) said strong winds from a passing cold front on Saturday (Aug. 1) knocked down power lines along the high...

SUN PEAKS, B.C. - Poor air quality from wildfire smoke billowing across southern B.C. is leading to multiple cancellations and rescheduling of outdoor events around the region.One such event affected by Orange-Level air quality alerts is the Heartland Country Festival in Sun Peaks, which organizers said will be postpon...

MERRITT, B.C. - Residents in dozens of properties near Kingsvale that have been threatened by the Ainslie Creek wildfire are now being ordered to evacuate. The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) issued an evacuation order for approximately 57 addressed properties in the Coldwater/Patchett area at 9:00 a.m. Frida...

CLINTON, B.C. - The BC Wildfire Service is warning of potential increase in fire behaviour on the mammoth Pear Lake wildfire near Clinton through the weekend. In an update late Thursday (Aug. 6) evening, the wildfire service said winds are expected to pick up and clear smoke that had previously been sheltering the fire...

KAMLOOPS - Ranchers in British Columbia are enduring another harrowing summer, as they navigate this year's wildfire season as well as lingering drought and water shortage issues. Wildfires, like the Pear Lake fire in the South Cariboo, have forced ranchers to move thousands of head of cattle to safer pastures, both so...

KAMLOOPS - Reinforcements are here - and even more are on the way by the plane-load - as B.C. continues to navigate what's been a challenging fire season. "We are welcoming resources from across Canada and around the world," B.C. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar told CFJC Today.Mexico has sent hundreds of firefig...

CLINTON, B.C. - Llenllenéy'ten (High Bar First Nation) has issued an evacuation order for reserve lands as the Pear Lake wildfire continues to rage out of control.The order is in effect for High Bar I.R 1, High Bar I.R 1A, and High Bar I.R 2 effective Thursday (August 6).Llenllenéy'ten officials said the ...

CELISTA, B.C. - The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD), RCMP and local fire departments are looking into a series of suspicious fires in the Shuswap area sparked Wednesday evening (August 5).At about 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday (August 5), Celista Fire Department was called out to a brush fire along Squilax Anglemont...

KAMLOOPS - Wildfire smoke has rained on the parade for the Kamloops Dragon Boat Festival. Speaking briefly to CFJC Today, Festival Director Lucas Sweet says the 500-metre races on the South Thompson River Saturday (Aug. 8) have been cancelled due to poor air quality. As of Thursday, the South Thompson region is under a...

KAMLOOPS - B.C.'s forests minister has been in the Kamloops area for the past few days to get a first-hand look at some of the damage caused by wildfires in the fire-ravaged Interior. Ravi Parmar has been meeting with government officials as well as with members of the BC Wildfire Service. He told CFJC Today it is impo...

CLINTON, B.C. - The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) has enacted a pair of new evacuation alerts in the South Cariboo as the wildfire picture evolves.For the Pear Lake wildfire in the Clinton area, 16 new properties are under alert south of Clinton, bringing the alert total in the area to 229 properties, up fro...

CLINTON, B.C. - The scale of destruction caused by the Pear Lake Fire is becoming clearer with each passing day as crews complete rapid damage assessment work as conditions allow.The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) said there are about 120 properties that have suffered some sort of structure loss within its ju...

VERNON, B.C. - One of the main routes connecting Kamloops to the Okanagan Valley has reopened.In an update posted Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 5), DriveBC says the section of Highway 97 between Salmon River Road and Spallumcheen north of Vernon is back open to two-way traffic.Motorists are advised to watch for traffic con...

BOSTON BAR, B.C. - Nearly three weeks after a raging wildfire forced them to flee their homes, residents of Boston Bar are free to return.The Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) rescinded a series of evacuation orders during the noon hour Wednesday (Aug. 5), including the following communities:North Bend and Canyon ...

70 MILE HOUSE, B.C. - (UPDATE 2:40 p.m.): A helicopter pilot was taken to hospital with minor injuries after a crash near 70 Mile House Tuesday (Aug. 4) morning.The BC Wildfire Service confirmed to CFJC Today that the incident happened around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, and that it involved a contractor."A helicopter went...

KAMLOOPS - The Emergency Support Services Reception Centre on McArthur Island is not set up well to accept donations, but those wishing to help out have other options. City of Kamloops emergency operations centre director Will Beatty said some evacuees are unable to find pet-friendly hotel rooms, so the city relies on...

KAMLOOPS - The heat and smoke will get more intense in the days ahead as the Kamloops area enters the heart of wildfire season. After a brief period of cooler and more humid weather, forecasters are calling for a return to warm and dry conditions, which could lead to an increase in fire behaviour. "The conditions ...

KAMLOOPS - Provincial officials say there is no need for a B.C.-wide state of emergency due to wildfires at this time, despite calls from the MLA in the South Cariboo and the opposition B.C. Conservatives. "I am shocked we're even having this debate," Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson said in a video updat...

KAMLOOPS - Teri Patterson, evacuated from her home about 20 kilometres southwest of Clinton since July 23, said the Emergency Support Services Active Reception Centre on McArthur Island has been a haven during a time of distress. "These people are phenomenal," Patterson said. "I will never forget them fo...

LOGAN LAKE, B.C. - The mayor of Canada's first FireSmart community is urging vigilance, even as the risks posed by a fire last week have passed. The Guichon Creek Fire near Logan Lake is considered to be under control at 145.4 hectares in size. It sparked last Wednesday (July 29) and it grew quickly as firefighters tri...

VERNON, B.C. - The damage from the Bradley Creek wildfire is becoming clearer as the Okanagan Indian Band begins the long road to recovery.On a video media call Tuesday, Chief Dan Wilson said a helicopter tour of the burned area Monday showed just how much of the community was impacted. He says preliminary estimates su...

CLINTON, B.C. - Crews responding to the massive Pear Lake fire near Clinton were able to carry out planned ignitions over the long weekend thanks to favourable conditions. In an update Monday (Aug. 3) afternoon, the BC Wildfire Service says the ignition operations took place along the north flank, east and west of High...

SEYMOUR ARM, B.C. - Crews were able to contain a fire to a cabin on the north end of Shuswap Lake. The Columbia-Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) says it dispatched the Anglemont Fire Department with a crew, one mini-engine and one tender truck to a structure in the Seymour Arm area. The regional district says it was ma...