Nanaimo news

• COLUMN: Keeping energy affordable takes focus—and commitment

  01-08-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  For most British Columbians, energy affordability isn’t that hard to define―it’s being able to pay your energy bill without having to compromise on other necessities. But delivering that outcome reliably, safely and over the long term is anything but simple.
  At a time when many families and businesses are feeling stretched, we know even modest bill increases can have real consequences at the kitchen table and on the bottom line.
  At FortisBC, affordability is not a standalone in
  
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• Mother concerned about lack of signage at summer schools

  10-08-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A Nanaimo mother wants the city to review its signage polices for summer and year-round schools.
  Speaking to council at a meeting on July 27, Andréa Coutu, who had earned a trade ticket as a flag person earlier in her life, said she recently noticed while dropping off her son at a Nanaimo school that school zones in the city aren’t currently marked for all-year, balanced calendar or summer-school sites.
  She said each school district’s calendar sets out the beginning and the en
  
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• UPDATE: ‘Days to weeks’ for Bald Range wildfire evacuees to return home

  10-08-2026 05:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE: 8:00 p.m.It may take days to weeks for evacuees of the Bald Range wildfire to return home.
  In a livestream from the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen (RDOS), communications manager Erick Thompson the process of re-entry into evacuated areas will take time.
  He said some areas are still not safe. In other areas, such as Trout Creek in Summerland, where the fire may not have reached, Thompson said other issues potentially remain such as blown-over embers, power outages and water sys
  
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• RCMP confirm fatality from Summerland wildfire

  10-08-2026 02:52 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Penticton RCMP have confirmed that one senior has died due to the fast moving Bald Range wildfire that hit Summerland.
  RCMP said they received a report of the death about eight hours after the fire was first reported on Aug. 7, with officers working with the BC Coroners Service to confirm the death.The 80-year-old Meadow Valley resident was confirmed to be deceased by the RCMP on Aug. 9.“This wildfire has been a deeply traumatic event for all those in the region. Our thoughts are with this
  
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• UPDATE: Activity related to Bald Range wildfire ‘hard to predict’ as winds shift west

  10-08-2026 01:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE: 4:00 p.m.
  BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) are continuing to see elevated fire activity related to the Bald Range blaze.
  In an update from the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen (RDOS), BCWS’ Erin Catherall, a fire information officer, gave an update on current conditions.
  “Right now we are seeing elevated fire activity. Things are hot and dry and we do not expect a change in the current situation,” Catherall said.
  She added that winds are expected to shift to the west
  
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• David Foster brings star-studded concert home to Victoria

  10-08-2026 01:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  David Foster returned to his hometown Saturday night for a free, star-studded concert that transformed Victoria’s Inner Harbour into an outdoor celebration of music, community and four decades of the David Foster Foundation.
  Thousands of people gathered around the harbour and the B.C. legislature grounds for the David Foster & Friends 40th Anniversary Concert, with spectators filling viewing areas and watching from boats and paddleboards on the water.
  The evening, which began at approx
  
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• Pedestrian dies after collision with commercial vehicle in Saanich

  10-08-2026 00:40 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A pedestrian has died after being struck by a commercial vehicle in Saanich early Saturday morning.
  Saanich police say the collision happened shortly after 3 a.m. Aug. 8 at the intersection of McKenzie Avenue and Glanford Avenue.
  Despite efforts by first responders, the pedestrian died from their injuries at the scene, police said. The victim’s next of kin has been notified.
  The driver of the commercial vehicle remained at the scene and is co-operating with investigators.
  McKenzie Avenue w
  
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• Team Nanaimo bound for Medicine Hat for Special Olympics

  10-08-2026 00:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A contingent of athletes from the Harbour City are headed to Alberta to compete in the Special Olympics.
  The games go from Tuesday-Saturday, Aug. 11-15 in Medicine Hat, Alta. and according to Angela Behn, Nanaimo athletics head coach and Team B.C. assistant coach, the team is looking forward to the event. Athletes and coaches are looking for personal bests, having a great time and taking home some hardware, she said.
  “We’ve got 12 athletes going for track, 10-pin bowling, softball, s
  
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• VIDEO: 3 year old mauled by bear in the Lower Mainland

  09-08-2026 23:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A three-year-old girl was airlifted to hospital after she was mauled by a bear in Maple Ridge.
  The incident happened on a residential property at 11:30 a.m. in the 12300 block of 240 Street on Sunday morning, Aug. 9.The victim sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to hospital.
  Multiple conversation officers responded to the area with RCMP officers to search for the bear that fled into a greenbelt.
  • More to come as information becomes available
  
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• UPDATE: BC Wildfire to conduct ignitions around Quilpituk Creek blaze to reduce fuel

  09-08-2026 22:50 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE: 1:44 p.m.
  BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) is planning to conduct small-scale ignitions along the southwest perimeter of the Quilpituk Creek wildfire.The planned ignitions are supposed to reduce the potential growth of the Quilpituk Creek blaze – which sits at an estimated 1,238 hectares in size – by removing fuel. BCWS said smoke will be visible in the area as the ignitions are conducted.Elsewhere, power has been restored, and assessments of the Killiney Beach and Westshore Estate
  
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• THORPE REPORT: Nanaimo student athletes show skills at track and field

  09-08-2026 22:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  For young athletes in local schools, the final sports competition of the year was the NanaimoDistrict Elementary Schools’ Track and Field Championships.
  Rotary Bowl stadium behind NDSS was the site for this annual event that involved qualifiers from more than 25 local schools. This week we feature top three finishers from girls’ events in the three major age groupings.
  In the tyke (born 2017-18) division, Mira Medlicott from Uplands Park sprinted to first place in the 100m finals. Fa
  
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• VIDEO: B.C. rider celebrates becoming Canadian citizen with double victory

  09-08-2026 21:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Growing up in the U.S., Langley rider Kyle King says he was often mistaken for a Canuck because he spoke with a Canadian accent, even though he is a native Californian.
  It was the product of frequent trips to spend summers north of the border, and the fact that his dad had two long-time girlfriends who were Canadian women, he has explained.
  Ten years ago, King married his Canadian-born wife Emily, and the couple would settle down in Langley, not far from the Thunderbird Show Park.
  But while he w
  
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• UPDATE: More evacuation orders issued due to Bald Range wildfire

  09-08-2026 21:05 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE: 12:00 p.m.
  An evacuation order has been issued by the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen due to the Bald Range wildfire.The order applies to the area of Brent Lake, Single Creek Area, otherwise known as Electoral Area ‘F’ on this map.Evacuees can go to the Trade and Convention Centre at 273 Power St. in Penticton to register.EmergencyInfoBC has more information on evacuation alerts and orders related to the Bald Range fire, which is an estimated 13,618 hectares in size
  
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• Bradley Creek wildfire complex near Vernon still being held

  09-08-2026 20:53 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Bradley Creek wildfire complex is still expected to stay within its perimeters, according to the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).
  In an update on Sunday, Aug. 9, BCWS said that based on available fuel and predicted weather conditions, the Bradley Creek wildfire – still estimated at 2,634 hectares in size – is expected to remain within control lines.Temperatures are expected to rise slowly throughout the day, reaching 31°C at around 5 p.m., and east-southeasterly winds will shift t
  
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• Wildfires near Clinton now over 213,000 hectares, remain out-of-control

  09-08-2026 20:50 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Wildfires in and around the Big Bar complex near Clinton are still out-of-control, with several evacuation orders and alerts in place.
  The entire complex covers more than 213,000 hectares as of Aug. 9.
  The Pear Lake wildfire saw growth and is now 142,900 hectares. French Bar Creek sits at 39,044 hectares, while the Rim Lake wildfire is estimated at 4,794 hectares.
  Bonanza Creek, which is not a part of the Big Bar complex but is nearby and to the west of the other fires, is at 26,822 hectares.
  Pe
  
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• Wildfires near Clinton now over 200,000 hectares, remain out-of-control

  09-08-2026 20:50 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Wildfires in and around the Big Bar complex near Clinton are still out-of-control with several evacuation orders and alerts in place.
  The entire complex covers more than 200,000 hectares as of Aug. 9.
  The Pear Lake wildfire saw growth and is now 142,900 hectares. French Bar Creek sits at 39,044 hectares. Rim Lake wildfire spans 4,794 hectares.
  Bonanza Creek, which is not a part of the Big Bar complex but nearby, is 26,822 hectares.
  Pear Lake Wildfire
  BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) posted a response
  
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• UPDATE: Bald Range wildfire west of Summerland grows, ‘challenging day’ ahead

  09-08-2026 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE: 11:20 a.m.
  The Bald Range wildfire has grown to an estimated to 13,618 hectares in size, according to the BC Wildfire Service.
  BCWS said the blaze saw increased behaviour to the south last night on Aug. 8.“Last night, poor overnight recoveries were observed on the Bald Range Wildfire, with relative humidity around 33%. The south end of the fire, along with the Fish Lake Road and Garnet Valley Road areas, continued to experience increased fire behaviour overnight,” it said.Aug
  
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• Quilpituk Creek wildfire grows to 1,238 hectares

  09-08-2026 19:54 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Quilpituk Creek wildfire is still growing, and is now estimated to be around 100 hectares larger since it was last recorded, according to the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).In an update on Sunday morning, Aug. 8, BCWS said the blaze is an estimated 1,238 hectares in size and remains out of control.
  Three sets of evacuation orders and one set of an evacuation alert related to the Quilpituk fire remain in place.BCWS have continued to commit over 120 firefighters, 11 helicopters, 40 pieces of heavy
  
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• NIWRA: Outdoor cats are cute and cuddly but also deadly predators

  09-08-2026 19:05 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  They may have lovely soft fur and be cute and cuddly when they feel like it, but cats have been largely responsible for the extinction of 33 bird species over many centuries. Scientists estimate free-roaming cats kill hundreds of millions of birds, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians each year, including endangered species.
  Cats are particularly deadly for birds. Even well fed, pampered cats will hunt and kill. Every year, domestic and feral cats kill millions of birds in Canada, leading som
  
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• ‘Summerland hasn’t been destroyed’ due to Bald Range wildfire, CAO says

  09-08-2026 18:49 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Evacuation orders and alerts covering Bald Range, Summerland, Penticton and Peachland remain in place as of 9:10 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 9 due to the Bald Range fire.The entire town of Summerland remains under an evacuation order along with areas under the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen (RDOS), Regional District of the Central Okanagan, Penticton Indian Band as well as South Peachland. Evacuation alerts also remain in place in areas adjacent to the evacuation alerts in Penticton Indian B
  
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• Business Notes: Kirby’s Source For Sports moves to larger location

  09-08-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  After 13 years serving Nanaimo’s sporting community in the Bowen Centre, Kirby’s Source For Sports has moved to a much larger location nearby.
  The popular sports store, which sells sports equipment, athletic clothing, footwear and more, moved into the former Brechin Lanes bowling alley building, located at 1870 Wellington Rd. which is just two blocks from its former site, in June after months of renovations.
  Owner Zack Gilbey said the old location was 5,000 sq. ft., while the new sit
  
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• UPDATE: Bradley Creek wildfire near Vernon being held

  09-08-2026 05:50 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE (8:40 P.M.)
  The Bradley Creek Complex is now being held.
  BC Wildfire Service said the 2,634-hectare blaze, discovered on July 31, is expected to remain within its current perimeter.
  Earlier on Saturday, BCWS said forecasted winds from the night before did not materialize, “resulting in only a small increase in fire behaviour.”
  In its latest update, the provincial wildfire service said there were 12 helicopters and 138 firefighters assigned to the incident.
  UPDATE: 7:10 P.M.
  Th
  
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• Rourke’s return sparks B.C. Lions to 27-24 win over Hamilton Tiger-Cats

  09-08-2026 04:14 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Nathan Rourke’s return to the lineup was a winning one.
  The reigning CFL most outstanding player tossed for 370 yards and two touchdowns, leading the B.C. Lions to an exciting 27-24 win over the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats Saturday at BC Place.
  Zander Horvath had two TDs for B.C. (3-5), with Justin McInnis also recording a major. Kicker Sean Whyte added two field goals and three extra points.
  For the Ticats (3-6), quarterback Harrison Frost, making his first appearance of year, three for
  
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• Rourke’s return sparks B.C Lions to 27-24 win over Hamilton Tiger-Cats

  09-08-2026 04:14 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Nathan Rourke’s return to the lineup was a winning one.
  The reigning CFL most outstanding player tossed for 370 yards and two touchdowns, leading the B.C. Lions to an exciting 27-24 win over the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats Saturday at BC Place.
  Zander Horvath had two TDs for B.C. (3-5), with Justin McInnis also recording a major. Kicker Sean Whyte added two field goals and three extra points.
  For the Ticats (3-6), quarterback Harrison Frost, making his first appearance of year, three for
  
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• UPDATE: Power restored in parts of Summerland as crews continue to battle Bald Range wildfire

  09-08-2026 03:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE (8:26 P.M.)
  Power has been restored in parts of Summerland, RDOS communications manager Erick Thompson said.
  District of Summerland staff noted that this does not signal re-entry to the community, “as conditions are still being evaluated.”
  There are a combined 6,000 properties on evacuation order across Summerland, Penticton Indian Band and the regional district, Thompson said. Another 2,000 properties are on evacuation alert, including in the West Bench and Sage Mesa areas ne
  
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• Surrey’s ‘Ugly Potato Day’ breaks Guinness World Record

  09-08-2026 02:17 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Surrey’s Ugly Potato Day by Odd Bunch has broken the Guinness World Record for the largest donation of fruits and vegetables for 24 hours by giving away 246,528.61 kg (543,501 lbs).Tyler Heppell started the event in 2022 with 12 people coming out to his family’s South Surrey farm to pick up free “ugly” produce that would otherwise be thrown away.From there, it has grown to over 30,000 people attending this year’s world-record-setting event at Cloverdale’s Agri
  
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• RCMP working to confirm fatality from Summerland wildfire

  09-08-2026 01:29 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Police are working to confirm a possible fatality from the massive Bald Range wildfire that tore through the Central Okanagan and forced the evacuation of the Summerland community Friday night.“Evacuations of entire neighbourhoods and communities were largely successful but not without challenges to areas cut off by the wildfire,” the Southeast District RCMP said in a media release Saturday afternoon, Aug. 8.“Southeast District RCMP is aware of one impacted resident from Meadow
  
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• UPDATE: Evacuation alerts expand as 9 helicopters respond to Summerland wildfire

  09-08-2026 00:37 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE (6:30 P.M.)
  BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) says crews are working to assess impacts to critical infrastructure as the Bald Range wildfire continues to rage in Summerland.
  Firefighters are currently establishing “heavy equipment lines” on the south end of the blaze, between Shingle Creek Road and Big Valley Road.
  The fire remains 10,340 hectares in size.
  Ninety-nine structural protection personnel are on scene.
  Nine helicopters and 108 firefighters have also responded, along with 1
  
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• Penticton Peach Festival pivots, schedules fire relief concert

  09-08-2026 00:23 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Penticton Peach Festival is holding a concert Saturday night, Aug. 8, to raise funds for those impacted by the Bald Range wildfire.
  After cancelling all activities on Saturday at the festival, organizers are inviting people to the Penticton Lakeside Resort for Peach Fest Fire Relief, featuring Canadian pop artist Virginia to Vegas.
  Doors open at 7 p.m., with the show starting at 8 p.m. inside the venue’s east ballroom.
  Admission is by donation, with a minimum contribution of $10. A 50/
  
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• New 63-unit housing complex proposed for Nanaimo’s north end

  08-08-2026 23:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A 63-unit housing complex is being proposed for a 1.03-hectare site located at 6060 Nelson Road, which is situated south of Hammond Bay Road between Turner and Rutherford roads.
  City of Nanaimo’s design advisory panel had no objections to the proposal at its meeting on July 23, but made 19 recommendations for improvements to the project.
  The property is currently forested, and a single-residential dwelling has recently been demolished.
  The surrounding neighbourhood is a mix of residential,
  
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