Nanaimo news

• Nanaimo RCMP looking for help from the public locating missing woman

  18-08-2026 22:39 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Nanaimo RCMP is requesting the public’s assistance in locating 27-year-old Midori Demetrioff who was last seen by family on June 28, 2026.
  She was reported missing to the Nanaimo RCMP on Aug. 10.
  Demetrioff was last seen in the vicinity of the Southgate Shopping Centre in south Nanaimo.
  Efforts to locate her, including numerous and extensive checks by local patrol officers, have been unsuccessful.
  Police and family are concerned for Demetrioff ‘s safety and her overall well-being
  
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• RCMP sergeant details weapon search in Grand Forks manslaughter trial

  19-08-2026 05:19 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  An RCMP crime scene manager continued his testimony on Aug.18 in a Grand Forks area manslaughter case.
  The accused, 47-year-old Sean Tiessen, is claiming self-defence. He is facing one count of manslaughter in the death of Joshua Lockwood, 33, following an incident that took place at a home shared by the two and Lockwood’s girlfriend, Keera Roberts, at midnight on April 16, 2023.
  The trial began Aug. 10 in Rossland Supreme Court, with jury selection completed the following day.
  According t
  
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• Quilpituk Creek wildfire is reported under control: BCWS

  19-08-2026 05:13 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Quilpituk Creek wildfire is currently under control, according to BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).
  In its latest update, at 5:13 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18, the 1,275.7-hectare fire is no longer projected to spread beyond the current perimeter.
  The fire that was discovered on Aug. 1 is believed to be human-caused.
  Earlier on Tuesday, BCWS changed the status from out-of-control to being held, which was attributed to the collaboration between wildfire crews, local fire departments, partners, aviation
  
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• VI Raiders drop 70-plus vs. Kamloops in BC conference football game

  19-08-2026 02:01 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The VI Raiders enjoyed their highest-scoring game in the Shawn Arabsky era with a 77-0 win over the Kamloops Broncos this weekend.
  At Saturday, Aug. 15’s game at Q’unq’inuqwstuxw Stadium in Nanaimo, the hometown Raiders dropped 33 points in the first quarter, 28 in the second and a combined 16 in the third and fourth. The 70-plus points dropped against the winless Broncos was the most points-for with Arabsky as Raiders’ head coach, he admitted to the News Bulletin.
  He was
  
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• B.C. disables employee directory, leaving public in the dark about who works for gov’t

  19-08-2026 01:01 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The sudden removal of B.C.’s online government directory has left British Columbians with no way to find out who works for the province or how to contact them, despite those employees being paid with taxpayer dollars.
  The Citizens’ Services Ministry implemented the change without warning on Aug. 18, citing cybersecurity threats from phishing attempts. A spokesperson said the move was based on “proactive advice from law enforcement partners, including the RCMP.”
  B.C.&rsquo
  
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• Summerland Strong: B.C. looks to support wildfire evacuees

  19-08-2026 00:31 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  An initiative to show up for Summerland following the devestating Bald Range wildfire is grabbing attention as well as a bottle of wine.
  Wine Growers British Columbia (WGBC), along with the BC Restaurants and Food Services Association (BCRFA), Alliance of Beverage Licenses (ABLE) and Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive Association, is encouraging restaurants, retailers and wine lovers from across the province to promote Summerland producers by featuring its wines using #SummerlandStrong.
  Jeff Gu
  
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• ‘Grateful and blessed’: Island driver claims third straight win at B.C. race

  19-08-2026 00:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Victoria race car driver Bill Okell stood atop the podium at the British Columbia Historic Motor Races on Aug. 9, winning the MG Midget race at Mission Raceway Park for the third consecutive year.
  On race day, behind the wheel of his trusty MG Midget roadster, Okell qualified third for the 15-minute race. However, he got off to a rough start, dropping to seventh place early in the race.
  Adopting a Le Mans-style start, where racers run across the track to enter and start their parked cars, Okell
  
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• Evacuated residents begin to return home as B.C. wildfires ease

  18-08-2026 23:48 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  B.C. residents are beginning to be allowed back to their properties as wildfire evacuation orders are downgraded in several parts of the province, including Clinton and Summerland.
  But the true scale of devastation is still unknown, with the government releasing only preliminary numbers, such as that 150 “structures” have been lost in the Summerland area. This loose definition that does not make it clear how many homes have burned down.
  The local regional district was the first to pr
  
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• 3 Kelowna restaurants make OpenTable’s Top 100 outdoor dining list

  18-08-2026 22:59 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  There’s something about dining outdoors under the summer sun in the Okanagan, and OpenTable couldn’t agree more after listing three Kelowna restaurants on its Top 100 list for restaurants with outdoor dining.
  ​Home Block at Cedar Creek Estate Winery, Kin & Folk Kelowna, and Old Vines Restaurant made the list this year, finishing with a 4.8 and two 4.7 star ratings, respectively. Home Block received 420 votes, Old Vines Restaurant received 468 votes, while Kin & Folk Kel
  
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• Postal service resumes in Clinton as Pear Lake fire holds at 160,315 hectares

  18-08-2026 21:11 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  As of Tuesday morning (Aug. 18), the Pear Lake wildfire near Clinton was estimated at 160,315 hectares and was still burning Out of Control.
  Residents of Clinton and the surrounding area have been informed that as of Wednesday (Aug. 19), the Clinton post office will reopen. Anyone who arranged to have their mail forwarded during the evacuation can cancel the arrangement using the conformation number they were given when they set up forwarding.
  Residents are asked to please be patient while emplo
  
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• B.C. food bank delivers food, supplies to wildfire evacuees

  18-08-2026 21:07 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  St. Joseph’s Food Bank in Mission recently delivered 4,500 pounds of food and supplies to families affected by wildfires.
  The donation was made to the Sq’éwqel (Seabird Island Band) Emergency Support Services last week, with food bank staff bringing a van full of supplies to the wildfire reception centre last Friday (Aug. 14).
  On behalf of the First Nation and evacuees, Sq’éwqel extended gratitude to the Mission food bank on social media for their willingness to s
  
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• Lightning sparks 4 new wildfires on northern Vancouver Island

  18-08-2026 20:27 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  There are four new wildfires on north Vancouver Island all with lightning as the suspected cause, according to BC Wildfire Service.
  On Aug. 18, a fire was discovered near Gerald Creek. It currently measures at 0.2 hectares and is listed as out of control.
  On Aug. 17, a 0.1 hectare fire was discovered near Tlools Creek, and a 0.009 hectare fire was reported three kilometres west of Vernon Lake. Both are listed as out of control.
  An Aug. 17 wildfire at Kiyu Creek is now being held, according to BC
  
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• 229 impaired driving bans issued on B.C. highways so far this summer

  18-08-2026 19:53 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  B.C. Highway Patrol says its 2026 Summer Impaired Driving Campaign saw “significantly fewer” bans, but it wasn’t just because B.C. drivers were doing a better job of driving sober.
  Police issued 229 impaired driving prohibitions during the 2026 Summer Impaired Driving Campaign, which ran from June 15 to July 31. Eighteen of those bans were related to drugs.
  It’s “significantly less” than the 2025 campaign, in which 626 prohibitions were issued.
  But police say
  
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• Victoria rescue centre sends helicopter to pluck patient from cruise ship north of Tofino

  18-08-2026 19:37 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A passenger airlifted from a cruise ship in the Salish Sea 52 nautical miles northwest of Tofino was taken to hospital in Greater Victoria.
  The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria responded to a request for a medical evacuation of an ill passenger from cruise ship Ovation of the Seas on Sunday, Aug. 9, sending in a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter and a CC-295 Kingfisher airplane.The Cormorant and Kingfisher aircraft are the rescue centre’s primary means for aviation and marine search
  
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• Nanaimo mountain biker dusts self off after fall, wins Canadian championship

  18-08-2026 19:37 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A mountain biker from Nanaimo took a spill at the Canadian championships, but that didn’t deter him from capturing a national title.
  Ryder Wilson, 18, took top spot in the expert men U19 division at Sun Peaks Resort, north of Kamloops, at the 2026 Canadian Downhill Mountain Bike Championships July 25-26.
  Wilson, also 2024 U17 expert champion, finished with a time of 4:41.33. He told the News Bulletin it was “cool” to be 2026 champion and as he “couldn’t quite execut
  
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• World-famous Parksville sand-sculpting exhibition draws nearly 120K visitors

  18-08-2026 19:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Exhibition welcomed 119,480 visitors in Parksville Community Park, which was on par with last summer, according to the Parksville Beach Festival Society.
  After five-and-a-half weeks of artistry, entertainment and community spirit, the 2026 Parksville Beach Festival is wrapping up at the Parksville Community Park.
  The world-class sculptures will soon be carefully dismantled, with the sand removed from the site and stored for future use, according to a news release
  
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• 27-year-old man dies after drowning incident at Vancouver Island waterfall

  18-08-2026 19:28 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A 27-year-old man has died after a drowning incident at Goldstream Falls near the park’s campground.
  West Shore RCMP confirmed they responded to a report of a swimmer in distress at Goldstream Falls Monday evening (Aug. 17) around 7:30 p.m.
  According to police, the man had been swimming near the waterfall when he went under the water and did not resurface.
  “Bystanders pulled the man from the water and immediately began life-saving measures until police, BC Emergency Health Services a
  
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• THE MOJ: B.C. Lions make statement with big win over Calgary

  18-08-2026 19:24 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  LET’S MAKE A STATEMENT: B.C.’s 30-26 win in Calgary, coupled with the Saskatchewan Roughriders 26-19 loss in Hamilton, has suddenly tightened the standings in the CFL’s West Division. Edmonton is in first place with a 7-3 record with the Riders next at 6-3. Winnipeg is in third with a 5-4 mark followed by B.C. at 4-5 and Calgary at 4-6. A win by the Lions and they pull to within a game of the Riders while a loss puts them at three back with only eight games left to play. It&rsq
  
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• Area Restriction Order issued for Ainslie Creek wildfire, burning near Highway 1 in Fraser Canyon

  18-08-2026 19:12 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  While the historic Alexandra Lodge in the Fraser Canyon appears to have been spared from the Ainslie Creek wildfire, BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) reports that the fire has moved downslope towards Highway 1 south of the Alexandra Tunnel.
  Minimal growth was observed in other parts of the fire on Monday (Aug. 17). As of Tuesday morning the fire was estimated at 65,310 hectares.
  Improved visibility on Tuesday will allow for increased aviation support in areas of difficult terrain that are inaccessible
  
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• B.C. foster care student earns $85K in scholarships

  18-08-2026 18:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  For Madison-Lynn Perreault, getting accepted into UBC’s nursing program was only one milestone in a high school career filled with advocacy, volunteering and community work.This recent Surrey school graduate is heading to UBC in September after earning $85,000 in scholarships and bursaries, an achievement she hopes will inspire young people from foster care that post-secondary education is within reach.Perreault has had many obstacles growing up, but instead of viewing them negatively, she
  
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• UPDATE: More Summerland residents can return home amid Bald Range wildfire

  18-08-2026 17:11 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE 8 a.m.
  Some Summerland residents are getting the chance to go home on Tuesday morning.
  At 7 a.m. on Aug. 18, the District of Summerland said residents who reside in Summerland proper – West of Highway 97, up to and including a portion of Cartwright Avenue, a portion of Haddrell Avenue (south of Dale Meadows Road) – have had their evacuation order downgraded.
  However, the following properties are executed from the change and remain on evacuation order, meaning the resident can&
  
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• Nearly 100 firefighters remain at Bradley Creek wildfire complex along Westside Road

  18-08-2026 15:01 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Despite both ‘being held’, BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) continues to have a large presence at the Bradley Creek and Quilpituk Creek wildfires.
  On Monday, BCWS had 90 firefighters, four helicopters, and 10 pieces of heavy equipment on scene between the two blazes.
  At this time, the Bradley Creek blaze still has one evacuation order issued by the Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB) and two evacuation alerts, one from OKIB and one from the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO).
  At the Quilpi
  
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• Wind could increase fire behaviour at Bald Range blaze close to Summerland

  18-08-2026 14:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Bald Range wildfire continues to burn, 11 days since it was discovered.
  The blaze, which stands at 21,391 hectares as of Tuesday morning (Aug. 18), continues to experience the most fire activity on the northwestern flank.
  In its update on Monday night, the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) and the District of Summerland confirmed that 150 structures have been destroyed or damaged by the blaze.
  “That is both Area F and also Summerland proper,” said Statt. “Bas
  
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• Nomination period begins soon for Nanaimo’s municipal election

  18-08-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Election time in Nanaimo is getting closer, and the municipality is reminding residents that anyone thinking of running for a seat on council or the mayor’s position that the nomination period for the city’s municipal election begins on Sept. 1 at 9 a.m., and ends on Sept. 11.
  Those intending to run as candidates are encouraged to file nomination documents with the chief election officer, or designate, at the Legislative Services Office at City Hall, located at 455 Wallace St.
  To fil
  
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• UPDATE: 4 people, pets safely airlifted from Johnson Creek wildfire as evacuation order continues near Beaton

  18-08-2026 09:57 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Four people and two pets have been evacuated by helicopter from the Johnson Creek wildfire as properties near the rural community of Beaton remain on evacuation order along the Incomappleux Forest Service Road (FSR) and Fish River Road.
  The City of Revelstoke issued the order at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, on behalf of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District’s Area B, and on the advice of BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).
  Three Incomappleux FSR properties (3211, 3227 and 3730) and two Fish River Ro
  
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• PHOTOS: Coombs Rodeo event a sold-out affair for 2026

  18-08-2026 06:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The 10th annual Vancouver Island Western Heritage Association Bulls, Broncs & Barrels event was a sold-out show for 2026 at the Coombs Rodeo Grounds.
  Known as the “biggest little Western event on Vancouver Island,” it featured ladies barrel racing and breakaway roping, bull riding, bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding and junior steer riding. There was also an exhibition staged by Veronica Archer, who impressed the crowd with his trick riding performances.
  There were also a
  
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• UPDATE: Around 150 structures damaged or destroyed in Bald Range Wildfire

  18-08-2026 03:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE: (6:30 p.m.)
  The first updates on damage from the Bald Range wildfire have been released by the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and District of Summerland.Summerland CAO Graham Statt shared during the nightly RDOS live update that about 150 structures had been damaged or destroyed by the wildfire.“That is both Area F and also Summerland proper,” said Statt. “Based on the data I’ve seen so far, approximately 40 structures damaged or destroyed in Summerland
  
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• E-cigarette maker JUUL Labs appeals B.C. court’s class action certification

  18-08-2026 02:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  E-cigarette maker JUUL Labs and tobacco conglomerate Altria Group, owner of Philip Morris USA, are appealing the B.C. Supreme Court’s certification of a class action lawsuit alleging the companies deceptively marketed e-cigarettes as a safe alternative to smoking.
  The case was brought by representative plaintiffs Owen Mann-Campbell and Robert Osborn in 2019, one year after e-cigarettes became legal in Canada.
  The pair claim JUUL and Altria are liable for negligence, unjust enrichment, brea
  
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• Interior Wildlife Rehabilitation Society in Summerland burnt down due to wildfire

  18-08-2026 00:27 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  When the Bald Range Wildfire swiftly approached Interior Wildlife Rehabilitation Society (IWRS) in Summerland, Eva Hartmann gathered all the animals and evacuated.
  Hartmann and Jonathan Laumer, co-founders of IWRS, shared the daunting experience on Facebook.
  “When we could feel the heat and hear the forest ablaze while ashes were raining from the skies, there was no time to pack anything besides the animals and ourselves.”
  “On our security cameras we could only watch the entire
  
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• B.C. student cycles 270 km, raises $7.7K for wildfire evacuees

  17-08-2026 23:07 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The recent wildfires in the Okanagan inspired a Lake Country resident currently living two provinces over to help evacuees from a distance.Since July 31, the Bradley Creek, Quilpituk Creek, and Bald Range fires combined have burned more than 25,000 hectares, with the majority burned at Bald Range.
  Seeing the devastation from the fires reminded Lake Country resident and UBC Okanagan (UBCO) student Ains Reid of being on evacuation alert due to the McDougall Creek wildfire complex in 2023.
  “W
  
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