Nanaimo news

• Kathy Brown

  11-08-2026 23:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  Kathy Brown passed away peacefully with her family by her side, leaving behind a legacy of kindness, devotion, and quiet strength. She was a woman who found joy in the simple things—time spent with loved ones, the satisfying rhythm of bowling, and the beauty she nurtured in her garden. Kathy’s life was defined by the love she gave and the connections she cherished.
  She is survived by her son, Steven Brown; her brother, Ray Clarke; and her nieces, Jill McDonald (Grant) and Lee Toomer
  
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• Bradley Creek wildfire remains held, no significant fire activity observed

  12-08-2026 14:51 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Despite clear skies on Tuesday, BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) crews didn’t experience any increased fire activity at the Bradley Creek wildfire.
  When the skies clear, temperatures and atmospheric instability increase, which can cause fire behaviour to increase. However, that wasn’t the case on Tuesday.
  The Bradley Creek wildfire continues to be being held, which means that, based on fuel and weather conditions and resource availability, the fire should remain within the current perimete
  
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• No significant fire activity despite clearer skies at Quilpituk Creek wildfire

  12-08-2026 14:46 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The skies opened and didn’t have an impact on the Quilpituk Creek wildfire on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
  In an update just after 9 p.m. on Tuesday, BC Wildfire Service said that despite skies clearing on and off throughout the day, which increased temperatures and atmospheric instability, no significant increase in fire behaviour was observed.
  “Fire behaviour today was predominately smouldering ground fire with a slow rate of spread, white smoke, and no visible open flame,” said BCWS la
  
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• Thunderstorms, winds could increase fire activity at Bald Range blaze in Summerland

  12-08-2026 14:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A change in the weather is expected to increase fire activity at the Bald Range wildfire in Summerland, according to BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).
  In its latest update, which came just after 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11, BCWS said windy conditions are expected at the north end of the fire while there’s a chance of a thunderstorm on Wednesday afternoon.
  “Convective instability associated with thunderstorms could produce downdrafts and erratic winds, potentially increasing fire behaviour;
  
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• Nanaimo council endorses the Nanaimo Accord

  12-08-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  City council endorsed the Nanaimo Accord as a framework to create a shared vision of Nanaimo’s future among the city’s major institutions.
  Conceptualized by the mayor’s leaders’ table last year, the accord details a shared statement of what stakeholders want Nanaimo’s future to be, which can be used to help attract investment into the community as well as ensure strategic priorities are aligned.
  Donna Hais, chair of the Nanaimo Port Authority which is a participant
  
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• Kids, adults to get in their soapboxes and race down Nanaimo hill in fundraiser

  12-08-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Wall Street in Nanaimo will again be a hub activity as fundraising soapbox derby takes place this weekend.
  The Hub City Soap Box Derby will again see racers utilizing gravity and racing down the hill between Bowen Park and Nanaimo Curling Club, benefiting Nanaimo Child and Development Centre on Saturday, Aug. 15.There are 40 stock division spots, for people aged six to 16 years, and 20 spots for the open division (adults and businesses).Jason Clayton, organizer, told the News Bulletin that the r
  
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• Summerland landfill fire raises air-quality concerns, threatens water plant

  12-08-2026 06:17 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A wildfire is burning out of control at the Summerland landfill.
  The blaze sparked separately from the Bald Range wildfire, which ignited on Friday, Aug, 7.
  Graham Statt, Chief Administrative Officer of Summerland, said that the landfill blaze is considered a new and separate incident, although he did not give a date of when the fire started.
  According to Statt, the blaze at the landfill is about 1.5 km from the Summerland water treatment plant and therefore being closely monitored.
  “At th
  
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• B.C. woman’s thesis examines wildfire misinformation amid Meta news ban

  12-08-2026 03:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  When the Bush Creek East wildfire was destroying homes in the Central Okanagan and raining embers upon Kelowna in the summer of 2023, the event was shocking not only to evacuees, but to observers across the country.Blair Visscher was shocked for more reasons than one.Visscher, a Vernon resident, had her eye on Facebook as many at the time did, looking for information about the rapidly unfolding emergency.What she saw there was troubling. Images of flames, smoke and destruction aside, she found a
  
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• VIDEO: B.C. first responders and legion welcomes the Rolling Barrage

  12-08-2026 02:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Rumbling motorcycles will be heading into Aldergrove on Saturday, Aug. 22, as the Rolling Barrage’s cross-Canada ride makes its final stop at the local legion, which will be welcoming about 170 riders.
  As their 22-day journey through 10 provinces, starting from St. John’s, Nfld., comes to an end, the Rolling Barrage Foundation raises awareness about post-traumatic stress and fundraises for programs supporting Canadian Armed Forces members and first responders.
  Langley RCMP Const. Den
  
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• Ainslie Creek fire moving towards Highways 5 and 8 as more orders, alerts issued

  12-08-2026 01:41 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  More evacuation orders and alerts have been issued in response to the Ainslie Creek wildfire, which is burning towards Highway 8 at on its northeast flank and towards Highway 5 (Coquihalla) on its southeast flank.
  On Monday (Aug. 10), the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) placed 118 properties in Electoral Area “N” on evacuation alert. The affected properties are south of Comstock Road, south of Brookmere, and north of Juliet Drive on the fire’s southeast flank, and the
  
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• Off-road vehicles prohibited on Crown Land in parts of Coastal Fire Centre

  12-08-2026 01:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Off-road vehicles are prohibited on Crown Land in the Coastal Fire Centre, as of Aug. 10, with exceptions in the North Island/Mid Coast, Mid Island and Sunshine Coast, according to the BC Wildfire Service.
  Off-road vehicles remain permitted in:portions of the South Island Forest District, including the Regional District of Nanaimo and the Regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot;
  North Island Central Coast Forest District;
  Campbell River Forest District;
  Sunshine Coast Forest District; and
  Haida G
  
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• Penticton Search and Rescue asks travellers to be prepared before braving backroads

  12-08-2026 00:59 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  With Highway 97 closed for the foreseeable future due to the Bald Range wildfire, drivers are being directed to take alternate routes, with the rough terrain catching some by surprise.
  DriveBC is currently advising drivers to take either Highway 33 to get to Kelowna, or, as long as they are not a commercial vehicle driver, to use the unpaved backcountry 201 Forest Service Road.
  Drivers are also reportedly being directed by GPS and apps to use backroads around Chute Lake and Big Bear Lake, which
  
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• Drugs, money and weapons seized in police operation in Nanaimo’s Diana Krall Square

  12-08-2026 00:44 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Nanaimo RCMP made 10 arrests and seized drugs, money and weapons during a two-day enforcement operation at the Diana Krall Plaza in downtown Nanaimo.
  In a statement, police said they were responding to community concerns raised by residents, business owners and community stakeholders regarding open-drug use, social disorder and public-safety issues at the plaza.
  During July 29-30, officers of the Nanaimo RCMP bike unit, working in close partnership with the specialized enforcement team, conducte
  
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• BC Wildfire officials brace as fires blaze and more dry lightning expected

  12-08-2026 00:25 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Wildfire officials are warning British Columbians to brace for more days of difficult fire conditions.
  Dry lightning is in the forecast in south-central B.C. later this week, and all four major wildfires burning in the province continue to exhibit “explosive” fire behaviour, said BC Wildfire operations director Cliff Chapman in the latest provincial situation update on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
  “We are not seeing significant wind on our fires in the last 48 hours, but we are seeing sig
  
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• UPDATE: Evacuation orders, alerts to remain in place Quilpituk Creek wildfire

  11-08-2026 23:36 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE: 2:25 p.m.
  All remains status quo at the Quilpituk Creek wildfire as all evacuation orders and alerts will remain on place for now, said Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) on Tuesday afternoon (Aug. 11).
  Throughout the day, BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) crews have been working to contain the fire along the southern edge.The EOC reconfirms that plans for re-entry and a safe and coordinated way home for residents is making progress. In preparation for residents to return, the E
  
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• Louise Roberta Brittain

  11-08-2026 23:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  March 2, 1944 – July 21, 2026
  It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Louise Brittain: Mom, Grandma, and Great-Grandma. Louise, retired teacher and former co-owner of Brechin Bowling Lanes, passed away at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at the age of 82, surrounded by family in the peaceful surroundings of the outdoor garden. Born on March 2, 1944, in North Vancouver, BC, Louise was the only child of Robert Douglas and Evelyn Maude Lennie.
  Growing
  
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• Lidia Luciana Vecchiato Niamath

  11-08-2026 23:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  January 25th, 1940 – June 30th, 2026
  Lidia Luciana Vecchiato Niamath. 86 years old. Surrounded by the immense love of her family, Lidia peacefully left us on June 30th 2026 at NRGH.
  She is survived by her husband, Albert, children, Tina-Marie and Lance, step daughters, Ingrid, Kathleen and Susan, sisters Debi and Loredana and a large circle of cherished extended family. Lidia was born on January 25th 1940 in Tripoli, Libya. From Tripoli to Treviso, Italy. Then Port Alberni to Victoria, whe
  
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• Barbara Bulcock

  11-08-2026 23:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  29 April, 1943 – 20 July, 2026
  It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of Barbara Bulcock on July 20, 2026.
  She is survived by her loving sister, Lily Thorsen and cousins in South Africa and Australia.
  After emigrating from South Africa, Barbara lived and worked in Washington, DC. She then came to Toronto, Canada and attended the University of Toronto where she obtained her BA (Art History) and her ESL teaching certificate.
  Barbara travelled extensively and had many friends wh
  
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• Burned pig among animals saved from Okanagan wildfires

  11-08-2026 23:02 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  While people have been able to escape the wildfires burning on Westside, most have been forced to leave their animals behind.
  “My family had less than five minutes to leave, my youngest not even able to grab her shoes. The field next to us caught fire. My horses were turned loose,” said Devyn McMillan.“I’m glad my family made it out but devastated my horses and cat are running wild around the flames.”
  Nowlin Kazimir doesn’t live on the Westside, but couldn&rsq
  
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• Free food, boarding available for pets of B.C. wildfire evacuees

  11-08-2026 23:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says help is available for wildfire evacuees and their pets.
  The wildfire season so far this year has seen more than 3,000 square kilometres of land scorched, forcing hundreds of people to leave their homes and land.
  A news release from the organization says free pet food and supplies are available at B.C. SPCA animal centres.
  It adds temporary and free emergency boarding and care is available for pets for those displaced by w
  
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• Netflix opens casting call for Love is Blind Canada

  11-08-2026 21:42 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The pods are coming to Canada.
  On Tuesday, Aug. 11, Netflix announced its popular dating show Love is Blind is coming to Canada, and anyone who’s looking for love can register.
  Netflix posted the casting call online as the show is looking for single people across the country who want to find love and see if love is truly blind.
  The first season of Love is Blind in the United States premiered in 2020, and there have been 10 seasons in total.The Canadian version of the show will be the 13th
  
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• Cowichan region firefighters answer the province’s call for help

  11-08-2026 21:23 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Firefighters from around the Cowichan Valley Region are hard at work helping crews battle blazes in B.C.’s southern and central Interior regions.
  Lake Cowichan Fire Chief Doug Knott said two members of his department, Devin Loewen and Chris Nahirnick, deployed on Aug. 4. They relieved Monroe Grobe and Ty Hieta after they spent 10 days fighting the Felker fire near Williams Lake and then the Peak Lake fire in the Clinton/Cache Creek area.Knott said his department has sent one tender, which
  
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• Mental health among supports shared by minister in Okanagan amid wildfire emergency

  11-08-2026 21:16 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  At the peak of emergent wildfires in the Okanagan, and amid a provincial state of emergency, a key minister is visiting the region to speak with officials firsthand.
  Kelly Greene, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, visited Vernon and Kelowna Monday and Tuesday (Aug. 10 and 11).
  She met with leaders such as Okanagan Indian Band Chief Dan Wilson, whose community has lost hundreds of homes to the Bradley Creek wildfire, just five years after the White Rock Creek wildfire in 202
  
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• Summerland mushroom farm destroyed in wildfire

  11-08-2026 21:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A mushroom farm in the Garnet Valley area of Summerland has been destroyed in the Bald Range wildfire.
  Brian Callow, co-owner of What The Fungus, said the entire farm was destroyed in the massive wildfire that has ravaged Summerland.
  The farm has been operating for the past 12 years, providing locally grown gourmet mushrooms and providing a mentorship program for students from Canada and the U.S. as they learn about mushroom growing.
  The wildfire was discovered on Aug. 7 and spread into Summerla
  
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• Woman missing from West Kootenay music festival offers thanks, some details of ordeal

  11-08-2026 21:08 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Kayla Boisvert is offering thanks to the many people that aided in search efforts after she went missing from the Shambhala Music Festival in the early morning hours of July 27.
  The 28-year-old posted a video on social media Aug. 8.
  While she says she is not ready to share all of the details as to what happened, she did share some information about her four-day disappearance.
  Boisvert said that she went missing on the final night of the festival (Sunday night/early Monday morning) and was found
  
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• B.C. couple conquer mountains, valleys to complete 8-year cross-Canada hike

  11-08-2026 20:55 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  When couple Simon Lanoix and Julie Chatelain took their first steps on a 15,000-kilometre journey, their future Langford home was little more than a construction site.
  Eight years and thousands of kilometres later, the couple is enjoying some well-earned time with their feet up in their Belmont condo after completing the Trans Canada Trail – tackling its vast length in stages.
  Their adventure came to an end when they arrived at the Point Zero marker at Victoria’s Clover Point on Satu
  
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• Roselyn Cathryn Barbara Mandalik (née Jaenisch)

  11-08-2026 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  In Loving Memory ~
  January 20, 1945 – July 21, 2026
  It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Roselyn Cathryn Barbara Mandalik (née Jaenisch), a beloved mother, grandmother, wife, nurse, and friend. Roselyn was born January 20, 1945, in Jablonz, Czechoslovakia. During the Second World War, she lost her father and four brothers. In 1951, she and her mother, Henrietta, immigrated to Canada and began a new life on the East Coast, eventually settling in Powell River.
  As a
  
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• Wine Growers BC steps in to support wineries affected by Summerland wildfire

  11-08-2026 20:22 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Wine Growers BC (WGBC) has assembled support from all across the province to help out residents impacted by the Summerland wildfire.
  In a press release, WGBC expressed its concern for the community, which was evacuated on Friday, Aug. 7, due to the Bald Range wildfire.
  “Right now, the only priority is keeping people safe,” said Jeff Guignard, president and CEO of WGBC. “Our thoughts are with everyone who has been displaced or impacted by these fires, and we are deeply grateful
  
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• Rodents blamed for RV explosion that hospitalized an Abbotsford woman

  11-08-2026 20:22 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A culprit has finally been determined months after a fiery explosion destroyed the home of Abbotsford’s Sylvia Gillis.
  The March 2 incident resulted in the 68-year-old and her dog receiving severe burns and heavily damaged the RV they were living in at the time.
  After the flames had been extinguished, Technical Safety BC launched an investigation to determine the cause of the incident, with the final report recently being released.
  In it, Technical Safety BC detailed the condition of the s
  
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• WOLF: Does anyone out there still drink milk every day?

  11-08-2026 20:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  I tried in once in a restaurant. It was disgusting. Never again.
  I am, of course, talking about ordering a glass of milk with my dinner. I thought it would be OK, having enjoyed it with meals at home forever. However, not only did it come to the table room temperature, fully homogenized (I didn’t specify) and with the consistency of Elmer’s Liquid School Glue, it also felt like every eye on the place was on me when it came to the table.
  It actually started well.
  “Do you have mi
  
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