Updated Highway 1 reopens after 5-vehicle collision near Langley

More than nine hours after it happened, Highway 1 in has been reopened following a collision involving five large vehicles near Langley completely closed it to westbound traffic.

Road closure, brush fire close to home for premier-designate

by Deborah Wilson

Premier-designate John Horgan says the only direct road link between Sooke and the rest of Greater Victoria is overdue for improvements that could reduce closures and accidents.

'A tangled web': insurance rules near wildfires complicate home sales

by Bethany Lindsay

A day before Kristine Newell’s latest sale was supposed to close, the Prince George real estate agent was tossed a giant curveball — the buyers were being denied home insurance because the property was within 50 kilometres of a wildfire.

BC Ferries vessel assists in rescue of 7 from stranded speedboat

The Queen of Nanaimo helped rescue seven people whose speedboat had run aground near Galiano Island.

Friday July 14, 2017

Fighting forest fires with technology: How drones and infrared cameras could be game-changers

As wildfires threaten B.C., astrophysicist Carlton Pennypacker has a plan to stop them before they start — with the same technology he uses to search for supernovas.

New clues found in search for missing Australian woman and partner

by Farrah Merali

Volunteers with Kent Harrison Search and Rescue have narrowed their search for a missing Vancouver couple to a waterfall that feeds into Statlu Lake after finding two pieces of evidence on Thursday.

Man who killed B.C. RCMP officer in drunk driving crash gets 4 years in prison

Kenneth Fenton had a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit when he ran a red light in Langford B.C., a suburb of Victoria, and hit Cst. Sarah Beckett's cruiser broadside.

Bear sightings surge in Vancouver Island communities

Conservation officers have been inundated with bear calls this summer. So far, they've responded to more than 300 calls in the Greater Victoria area.

B.C. fire crews brace for windy weekend, potentially worsening conditions

by Roshini Nair

A cold front sweeping across southern B.C. on Saturday afternoon could bring wind and spread the wildfires.

Man charged with arson in Whistler, B.C., wildfire

A man has been charged with arson in connection to a wildfire that broke out on Blackcomb Mountain — near Whistler, B.C. — in early July.

Williams Lake coffee shop owner helps feed community amid forest fire crisis

by Anna Dimoff

While many businesses have shut down in Williams Lake, one small coffee shop is still going strong.

Can I get a refund on my vacation booking near a wildfire? It depends

by Lien Yeung

Campers with reservations at provincial parks could be eligible for automatic refunds. Tourists booked at smaller resorts will need to work with individual operators.

Mélisande drops the beat at CBC Musical Nooners today

Join us July 7 to August 25, 2017 for a free summer concert on our CBC Vancouver outdoor stage at noon.

Timber Kings TV stars work to save log homes from B.C. wildfires

Builders from the TV show — which is filmed in and around Williams Lake — are hoping to save their remaining work sites as one has already been destroyed by wildfire.

Pattullo Bridge to be closed all weekend for repairs

The bridge, which links the Lower Mainland cities of New Westminster and Surrey across the Fraser River, will close on Friday, July 14, at 9 p.m. PT and will reopen at 5 a.m. on Monday, July 17.

Deal reached to sell Grouse Mountain

In a matter of days, one of B.C.'s most popular ski resorts is expected to have a new owner. A spokesperson for the Grouse Mountain confirmed Friday that an agreement has been reached to sell the resort, pending a transaction.

Indigenous leaders to boycott Monday's meeting with premiers

Three Indigenous groups will boycott the meeting with Canada's premiers on Monday because they believe their groups should be included as equal partners at the Council of the Federation meeting, which starts on Tuesday.

Punk-folk singer Billy Bragg on 'Roots, Radicals, and Rockers: How Skiffle Changed the World'

by Anna Dimoff

Musician, activist and author Billy Bragg explores skiffle's influence on music in 1950s England.

New measures boost addiction treatment access in Victoria

by Deborah Wilson

From the emergency ward to family physicians offices, new Victoria programs hope to connect drug users with addiction treatment and ongoing support.

Feature Cruel welcome back for Ashcroft Indian Band reserve evacuees

by Tina Lovgreen

Residents returned to fire-ravaged community, one of the first places to be hit by wildfire this July in B.C.'s Interior.

Lumber prices see 'big jump' after wildfires in B.C.

by Aleksandra Sagan

Wildfires in the B.C. Interior that have forced some sawmills to halt operations have resulted in a boost in lumber prices at a time when forestry companies have been squeezed by softwood duties on exports to the U.S.

'It's too late in the game': Indigenous leader says MMIW inquiry must continue despite criticism

by Matt Humphrey

The Chief of Cheam First Nation says the first report from the inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls will be worth the administrative problems that currently plague it.

Evacuation alert in Williams Lake, B.C. could last for weeks, officials warn

by Mike Laanela

Gusty winds forecast for the B.C. Interior this weekend could spread wildfires to new parts of the province, an official warns as thousands already are unable to return to their homes.

Vancouver police looking for high-risk sex offender at large

Christopher Schafer, 41, failed to return to his residential correctional facility at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Williams Lake mayor fired up over alleged lootings and arsons

by Justin McElroy

When asked to describe two people arrested for allegedly looting evacuated homes in Williams Lake, B.C., Walt Cobb didn't mince words.

Satellite images show just how much damage B.C.'s wildfires have left behind

Move the slider back and forth horizontally to see what the communities of Boston Flats, Ashcroft and Cache Creek look like from space.

Use barges to ease Massey Tunnel congestion, says B.C. longshoreman

A local union president says the practice of short sea shipping is needed to reduce congestion at the George Massey Tunnel before building a new bridge.

Cowichan Valley residents say Trans-Canada Highway traffic a 'mess'

by Gavin Fisher

Some residents of Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island say a section of the Trans-Canada Highway running through Duncan is a "traffic mess" and they're calling for a bypass around the city.

'That's the anchor of the whole family': home in 100 Mile House destroyed by wildfire

by Gavin Fisher

​A home in 100 Mile House where a car mechanic ran his shop — and where three generations of family members once gathered to celebrate holidays — has been destroyed by wildfire.

B.C. wildfire evacuee falls victim to rental scam

by Tamara Rahmani

A B.C. woman who was ordered to evacuate due to a wildfire near her home in B.C.'s south Cariboo region says she has fallen prey to a rental scam.

As It Happens 'Like a crazed Tasmanian devil': Vancouver woman and her dog mauled by raccoon

WARNING: This post contains graphic images.

Star Wars-like robot available at Fraser Valley libraries

by Liam Britten

They look like headless versions of BB-8 from Star Wars, and a library director says they're a great way to teach kids coding.

Tourist In Your Town: Burnaby, B.C.'s Central Park

by Matt Humphrey

A Lower Mainland artist calls Burnaby, B.C.'s Central Park a verdant treasure in the heart of the city — with no place in the region quite like it.

The best way to reduce emissions? Have fewer kids, researchers say

by Matt Meuse

In the paper, Wynes and Nicholas identify four lifestyle choices individuals in developed countries can make that have the most significant effect on GHG emissions — actions they feel are overlooked in government and educational sources.

Vancouver literary mentor Jim Wong-Chu remembered fondly

by Roshini Nair

Jim Wong-Chu, an important writer and mentor in the Asian-Canadian literary community, passed away this week.

Cellphone, confusing crossing signals caused train to hit B.C. ambulance, says TSB

The Transportation Safety Board says a driver distracted by a cellphone and confusion over a complex railway crossing caused a Canadian National train to strike an ambulance in Langley, B.C.

First Nations evacuations complicated by legacy of residential schools, expert says

by Roshini Nair

A fire research scientist explains how evacuations can be stressful for any community but especially so for First Nations.

Video A 'brilliant reflector of the human condition:' Andy Serkis returns in War for the Planet of the Apes

There's a whole lot of learning to be done from apes, said Andy Serkis, Hollywood's go-to motion-capture performer and star of War for the Planet of the Apes.

Police in New Westminster, B.C., recommend charges in teen's fatal drug overdose

Police say they're recommending criminal charges in connection with the overdose death of a teenager in New Westminster, B.C.

Province trying to manage firefighter exhaustion as wildfires rage in B.C.

The fire situation in the B.C. Interior may have calmed down slightly in recent days — but the province is worried about firefighter burnout because wildfire season is only just getting started.

Home sales in Greater Vancouver show signs of recovery: Royal LePage

Sales and price gains slowed in the Greater Toronto Area's real estate market in the second quarter, while home sales in Greater Vancouver and Calgary showed signs of recovery, Royal LePage says in its latest national survey and forecast.

Will Victoria find favour with new B.C. government?

by Deborah Wilson

An incoming government with five MLAs from Greater Victoria, including the premier-designate, is raising hopes among municipal leaders for more help with longstanding challenges.

Feature Tour the command node: Kamloops centre tirelessly coordinates fire response

The place is abuzz as firefighters stream in and out, constantly loading up trucks as metres away planes take off to put out more flames.

1 home destroyed in Vancouver Island wildfire

A wildfire near Sooke, B.C., near Victoria, was contained within a few hours, but not before it forced evacuations and destroyed a home.

Increased interest rates could mean higher Vancouver rental prices, expert says

A UBC professor has cautioned that the Bank of Canada's move to increase its key interest rate could increase rental prices in the Lower Mainland.

President's Choice pub recipe chicken nuggets recalled for possible salmonella contamination

Some President’s Choice brand chicken nuggets are being recalled because of possible salmonella contamination, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Wednesday night.

New robotic surgery system to replace VGH's retiring 'Jack'

by Cory Correia

Vancouver General Hospital is getting a new $4 million robot-assisted surgery system to conduct minimally invasive surgeries.

'We're just one person really': Maple Ridge, B.C. couple celebrates 70th anniversary

by Matt Humphrey

A Maple Ridge couple celebrates 70 years of marriage July 12. He was an aerial photographer during the Second World War. She worked in the canteen. It was love at first sight.

Homeless advocate seeks nomination in Vancouver city council byelection

by Matt Humphrey

Longtime homeless advocate Judy Graves has announced she hopes to run for Vancouver city council in this fall's byelection.

Calmer weather helping B.C. firefighters, but winds expected to return

by Mike Laanela and Liam Britten

The B.C. Wildfire Service says a break in the weather has allowed firefighters to reduce the number of wildfires in the province to 183, but gusty wind in the forecast for Saturday is becoming a concern.