Nanaimo news

• Pear Lake wildfire near Clinton estimated at 157,448 hectares

  15-08-2026 21:05 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  As of Saturday morning (Aug. 15), the Pear Lake wildfire near Clinton was estimated at 157,448 hectares and is still listed as Out of Control.
  The nearby Rim Lake wildfire, between Loon Lake and Clinton, had previously been listed as Being Held. It has now been classed as part of the Pear Lake fire, which crossed the Bonaparte River and joined with the Rim Lake fire.
  As of 8 a.m. on Saturday morning, evacuation orders for the entirety of the Village of Clinton, and for some 373 properties in Tho
  
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• ‘Indefensible’: B.C. Premier Eby responds to collapsed Canada-U.S. trade talks

  22-08-2026 21:16 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  B.C. Premier David Eby worked to reassure British Columbians that Canada will stand strong against U.S. tariffs after a potential trade deal collapsed.
  Eby held a press conference Saturday (Aug. 22) in Vancouver to address the collapsed Canada-U.S. trade talks. He called the incoming U.S. tariffs “inexplicable and indefensible.”
  He said many British Columbians woke up to the news Saturday of the latest in the Canada-U.S. trade war. The premier said he hesitated to call the talks a ne
  
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• One person’s trash is another’s treasure at City of Nanaimo Car Trunk Sale

  22-08-2026 21:14 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Garage sale enthusiasts and those looking for bargains can find treasures at Vancouver Island University’s Nanaimo campus.
  City of Nanaimo is holding its Car Trunk Sale at VIU’s lower lot, off Wakesiah Avenue and Fifth Street, until 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22 and according to a press release, 200 vendors are on site, selling used items from their vehicle trunks.
  It is part of the city’s Reduce and Reuse community events.
  “The Nanaimo Recycles Car Trunk Sales are a fun and p
  
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• UPDATE: Crews expect ‘erratic, gusty winds,’ as Summerland wildfire continues to grow

  22-08-2026 21:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE (12 P.M.)
  The Bald Range wildfire continues to grow, with the out-of-control blaze now 24,820 hectares in size.
  BC Wildfire Service says the growth comes as it expects “erratic, gusty winds” on Saturday.
  “Our crews, aviation and heavy equipment resources have been bolstering containment in preparation for today’s unpredictable winds,” it added.
  It hasn’t rained in the area for 49 days, the provincial service noted.
  Close to 40 structure protection perso
  
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• UPDATE: Bald Range wildfire continues to grow west of Summerland

  22-08-2026 21:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE (12 P.M.)
  The Bald Range wildfire continues to grow, with the out-of-control blaze now 24,820 hectares in size.
  BC Wildfire Service says the growth comes as it expects “erratic, gusty winds” on Saturday.
  “Our crews, aviation and heavy equipment resources have been bolstering containment in preparation for today’s unpredictable winds,” it added.
  It’s also been 49 days since there’s been rain in the area, the provincial service noted.
  Close to 40 st
  
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• Victoria police chief recognized nationally for leadership

  22-08-2026 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  After one year of her historic appointment as Victoria’s first female police chief, Fiona Wilson has received a national award recognizing her leadership and contributions to policing across Canada.
  Wilson received the 2026 CACP Recognition Award at the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Summit in Edmonton, presented by CACP President Commissioner Thomas Carrique.
  Wilson was one of the two police leaders selected to receive the national recognition of exceptional involvement,
  
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• LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Cyclists have the same responsibilities as drivers

  22-08-2026 20:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  To the editor,
  I would like to remind drivers that under the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicles.
  I state this as a cyclist who is frequently heckled from passing vehicles for riding on the road even though there is an adjacent bike path.
  I do not ride on elevated paths because they dip to accommodate driveways and intersections. They are often twinned with a sidewalk, only delineated by a line of paint. I frequently exceed 30km/h and it&rs
  
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• More evacuation orders, alerts issued in response to Pear Lake fire near Clinton

  22-08-2026 18:56 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) and Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) have both issued new evacuation orders and alerts in the area of Highway 99/Pavilion Lake west of Cache Creek in response to the Pear Lake wildfire.
  The orders and alerts were issued as of 8 a.m. on Saturday (Aug. 22).
  Highway 99 remains open, but drivers are not allowed to stop along the highway. However, the threat of wildfire means that the highway could close suddenly, with little or no notice. Driver
  
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• Evacuation order expanded for French Bar Creek fire west of Clinton

  22-08-2026 18:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) has expanded an evacuation order in response to the French Bar Creek wildfire, burning out of control west of Clinton.
  The expanded evacuation order was issued on Saturday morning (Aug. 22). It covers two properties, at 7633 and 7780 Watson Bar Road, bringing to 12 the total number of properties on evacuation order.The French Bar Creek fire was estimated at 54,892 hectares as of Saturday morning.
  The BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) says that convective act
  
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• Bald Range wildfire sits at 24,622 hectares west of Summerland

  22-08-2026 17:14 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Bald Range wildfire west of Summerland continues to burn out of control more than two weeks after its discovery.
  ​According to the latest update from the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS), the blaze has grown to 24,622 hectares, with 13 evacuation alerts and eight evacuation orders still in place.
  ​Despite the large number of evacuation orders, many residents have been able to return home, with just 32 properties still under evacuation.
  ​BCWS says its priorities are to maintain th
  
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• ONC joins the hunt for cosmic particles in the ocean

  22-08-2026 15:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  University of Victoria’s Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) is part of a major project that will give scientists a glimpse into the universe from under the sea.In this multi-partner Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment (P-ONE), ONC is co-engineering key infrastructure to create a deep-sea neutrino telescope that will transform vast stretches of the deep Pacific Ocean into a massive neutrino detector.
  Research has shown that the pitch-black depths of the deep ocean are an ideal environment for studyi
  
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• COLUMN: I wish I had said hello toTerry Fox

  22-08-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  It’s hard to believe that the 46th annual Terry Fox Run will take place next month.
  Up to four million people across Canada and the world participate in the run each year, and they have raised more than $1 billion over the decades for cancer research.
  I was actually there on that cold and wet April morning in 1980 in St. John’s, Newfoundland, when it all began.
  I was just a youngster at the time walking with some friends in the city’s downtown when we came across a small group
  
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• UPDATE: Bald Range wildfire grows to 24,536 hectares, as Summerland residents continue to return home

  22-08-2026 04:31 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE (7:25 P.M.)
  The Bald Range wildfire continues to grow in size, according to the latest report from BCWS.
  The provincial agency said in an update at 7:04 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 21, that the fire is currently 24,536 hectares in size and continues to be classified as out of control.
  Earlier this Friday, BCWS reported that both fire behaviour and activity have been dampened over the last several days as smoke from the Bald Range wildfire and fires to the west and south have been impacting the r
  
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• Small wildfire spotted in Beaufort Range near Port Alberni

  22-08-2026 03:52 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A small wildfire is burning out of control in the Beaufort Range northwest of Port Alberni. The B.C. Wildfire Service is calling the area Hal Creek.
  The fire, listed as 0.2 hectares, was spotted during the afternoon of Friday, Aug. 21 shortly after a brief thunder and lightning event. The B.C. Wildfire service is calling the fire “under investigation” while they respond.
  Firefighting ground personnel have been deployed to the scene, and at least two helicopters have been spotted by p
  
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• Nanaimo preparing guide to help seniors during community emergencies

  22-08-2026 03:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  City of Nanaimo is working to help seniors prepare for community-wide emergencies.
  The municipality is inviting seniors, caregivers, family members and organizations that support older adults to participate in a survey that will help shape a new Seniors Emergency Preparedness Information Guide.
  The guide is being developed to help older adults prepare for emergencies and disasters, such as extreme heat, power outages, wildfire smoke, earthquakes and severe weather.
  Community feedback will help e
  
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• Montréal minor arrested, allegedly used AI to plan school attack

  22-08-2026 02:35 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A Montréal youth was arrested Friday (Aug. 21) on terrorism allegations.
  RCMP’s Federal Policing Eastern Region arrested the “young man” from Montréal as part of an investigation by the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team. Police did not specify the suspect’s age, but also referred to him as a minor.Police say the investigators had “reasonable grounds” to fear he might commit crimes related to violent extremism.The investigation began a
  
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• Less than half expected sockeye returning to B.C.’s Fraser River this year

  22-08-2026 01:58 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Pacific Salmon Commission has slashed estimates for this year’s Fraser River Sockeye run by more than 50 per cent.
  The initial prediction of 7,743,390 sockeye salmon returning to the Fraser River has now been downgraded to 3,496,000 fish.Experts warn this appears to be part of a 16-year downward spiral for the Fraser River’s dominant sockeye salmon run.
  “The trend for this four-year cycle in the Fraser is very concerning,” said Jason Hwang, vice-president of the Pacif
  
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• B.C. man sentenced to 22 years in jail for sex offences

  22-08-2026 01:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A Port Alberni man in his late 40s has been sentenced to 22 years in jail after being convicted of several sexual offences.
  On Aug. 11, 2026, Shaun Pater was convicted of sexual offences, including one count of sexual interference involving a person under the age of 14, two counts of sexual interference involving persons under the age of 16, and one count of sexual assault.
  “The care, sensitivity, and professionalism demonstrated by Port Alberni RCMP investigators throughout these complex
  
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• Tumbler Ridge shooting documents detail confusion around number of shooters

  22-08-2026 01:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Recently released court documents are providing more insight into the events and subsequent investigation into the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge in February.
  Hundreds of pages of information to obtain documents were released after a media consortium sought to have them released. Black Press Media obtained the documents through the Dawson Creek court registry as a result.
  While heavily redacted, the pages of documents detail the confusion regarding how many shooters there could have been, search
  
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• Headline history: A boom in the number of Nanaimo bus riders in 2011

  22-08-2026 01:08 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Nanaimo was seeing growth in bus ridership in the early part of the 21st century and there are still people at stops waiting to take transit.
  A July 23, 2011 issue of the Nanaimo News Bulletin reported that, based on a report of the day from Regional District of Nanaimo Transit’s funding partner B.C. Transit, there were 2.6 million riders that year, an increase of 6.4 per cent from the year previous.In that fiscal year, Routes 8 and 9, shuttling passengers north and south, connecting a bus
  
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• UPDATE: More Summerland residents head home as staged re-entry moves ahead

  22-08-2026 00:13 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE (3:20 P.M.)
  More Summerland residents are heading home.
  The entire community, except for 32 properties, is no longer under evacuation order.
  Properties located in Electoral Area F (Greater West Bench and Faulder) within the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen remain evacuated, with the exception of 23000 Gallaugher Street.
  See here for properties still evacuated.
  Properties with downgraded orders are now on evacuation alert.
  People on alert are urged to prepare to evacuate their pre
  
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• State of emergency extended in B.C. due to wildfire risk

  22-08-2026 00:04 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The provincial government is extending it’s state of emergency for one more week due to the ongoing wildfire risk.The state of emergency, which was first declared two weeks, is now extended until Saturday, Aug. 29, the government announced Friday (Aug. 21).The province says the extension follows advice from emergency-management officials. It allows the province to have access to emergency powers under the Emergency and Disaster Management Act if they are required.
  So far, the provincial go
  
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• IIO investigating Williams Lake incident that left woman seriously injured

  21-08-2026 23:56 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) is investigating an incident in Williams Lake after a woman sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
  In a press release, the IIO said the incident occurred May 8, 2026, in a municipal park.
  The IIO reported that initial information states the woman had an interaction with bylaw officers and city staff. RCMP officers were called to the area and advised her that she needed to leave the park.
  At one point during an interaction between th
  
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• Kelowna Events Centre, community volunteers make a big difference for wildfire evacuees

  21-08-2026 23:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A steady stream of wildfire evacuees lined up outside the Kelowna Events Centre (KEC) on Friday, Aug. 21, with some arriving well before the doors opened, seeking clothes, diapers, toiletries and other essentials after spending weeks away from home.
  ​The recovery event at 2041 Harvey Ave., organized by Susanne Soranno with support from the KEC, local partners and community members, marked the second push to distribute a large volume of donated goods. It aimed to support those displaced by
  
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• Quesnel Regional Airport runway temporarily closed after aircraft incident

  21-08-2026 22:49 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A small aircraft was involved in a landing incident at the Quesnel Regional Airport on Friday, Aug. 21, with no injuries reported.
  According to a social media post by the City of Quesnel, emergency responders attended the scene and the aircraft remains in the runway area while recovery and assessment activities are underway.
  The runway has been temporarily closed and Transport Canada has been notified.
  The city added it will continue working with regulatory authorities and the aircraft operator
  
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• BC Hydro spending $90 million to upgrade Vancouver substation

  21-08-2026 22:26 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  BC Hydro continues to pour money into grid upgrades and energy supply expansion to meet surging demand, announcing on Friday a $90-million spend on a new transformer in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood.
  “We’re making sure that as the city grows, as British Columbia grows, our electricity network grows with it,” Energy and Climate Solutions Minister Adrian Dix said.
  Dix says this new upgrade will provide enough power for 50,000 homes.
  The Mount Pleasant substation
  
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• Nanaimo looks to broaden criteria for sports tournament grants

  21-08-2026 22:01 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Changes are coming to Nanaimo’s sports tournament grant program to allow for more flexibility as to who can apply for grants, and for what purposes.
  The city’s finance and audit committee made that decision at a recent meeting after staff pointed out that the program, which has an annual budget of $20,000, has seen few applications in recent years.
  “There was only one application received in 2023, none in 2024, one in 2025 and one so far in 2026,” said Charlotte Davis, Na
  
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• Testimony concludes in Grand Forks manslaughter trial

  21-08-2026 20:35 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The accused in a Grand Forks area manslaughter trial had only been living with his roommates for a couple of weeks before the fatal shooting.
  Cross-examination of the accused, 47-year-old Sean Tiessen, continued in Rossland Supreme Court Thursday (Aug. 19).
  Tiessen 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, after midnight on April 16, 2023.
  Tiessen is cl
  
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• PNE Fair starts Saturday with Wizard of Oz on Ice, big-stage concerts at new Arch, more

  21-08-2026 20:27 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Fifteen days of late-summer fun are promised during the 2026 edition of the PNE Fair in Vancouver.
  B.C.’s largest annual fair starts Saturday, Aug. 22 with a wide range of entertainment including Summer Night Concerts at the new Freedom Mobile Arch.
  The fair runs through Labour Day (Sept. 7) at Hastings Park, site of some familiar attractions and also new ones.“Whether you’re visiting for the rides, the food, the concerts, or simply to make memories with family and friends, the
  
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• Extreme fire risk prompts Butchart Gardens to cancel its 2nd consecutive fireworks show

  21-08-2026 20:16 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Due to the provincial state of emergency, the Butchart Gardens is cancelling its weekend fireworks show for a second consecutive week.
  The show slated for Aug. 22 is cancelled; a performance by Freeze Frame continues, starting at 7:30 p.m. While yearlong passes are normally not valid on fireworks days, they will be honoured Saturday.
  Traditionally, the Central Saanich tourist destination runs its displays with strict on-site support and coverage by local firefighters. Amid the ongoing extreme fi
  
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