Nanaimo news

• ‘The environment has changed:’ residents returning to Clinton area told to be prepared for wildfire damage

  15-08-2026 03:51 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Be prepared to be self-sufficient for several days, be alert for fire, and give yourself space to absorb the changes you’ll see to the landscape.
  That was the advice that more than 400 people heard during an online information session on Friday afternoon for residents of Clinton, the surrounding electoral area, and local First Nations who are preparing to return.
  The Village of Clinton and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) co-hosted the session, which began with the news that ma
  
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• Man seriously injured in late-night stabbing in Vancouver Island city

  25-08-2026 19:04 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A man was stabbed during a fight involving several people in downtown Victoria.
  Victoria Police Department (VicPD) said they responded to multiple reports of the incident late Sunday evening (Aug. 23), shortly before midnight, in the 1000-block of Johnson Street.
  However, when police arrived at the scene, the people involved had left the area.
  “Officers located evidence at the scene consistent with a violent altercation, including damage to a nearby business and blood,” said a statem
  
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• PSL launch signals sweater weather, but drought more likely behind Victoria’s early leaf fall

  25-08-2026 19:03 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  While pumpkin spice season is at hand for some coffee drinkers, it’s still too early for the leaf colour changes spotted across the South Island landscape.
  Foliage changes early in some areas may be an indication of the stress trees are facing, primarily due to heat and drought, in Greater Victoria.Scorch or early browning of leaves is easy to spot, says Matthew Coady, an arborist and area manager of Western Operations for Davey Tree Canada.Leaves are green because of chlorophyll, which ab
  
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• Lightning-caused fires continue to reveal themselves on South Island

  25-08-2026 15:58 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A trio of small wildfires is burning in the wooded areas of the South Coast – each deemed .009 hectares and attributed to lightning.
  A fire near Lens Creek, about 70 km northwest of Sooke, deemed spreading or anticipated to spread beyond the current perimeter, was discovered Monday (Aug. 24) according to BC Wildfire Service and likely caused by lightning in the storm that passed through Sunday.The other two fires are also associated with the same storm. A fire at Granite Main is deemed &ld
  
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• Rising temperature could increase activity at Bald Range blaze by Summerland

  25-08-2026 14:56 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  While BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) said it could take advantage of lower temperatures over the weekend, rising heat would increase activity on the western flank of the Bald Range wildfire on Tuesday, Aug. 25.
  The west flank of the fire, north of Isintok Lake, has been the most active portion of late, and with highs of 31 C and 33 C on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, and an increase in winds, that fire activity could increase.
  As of Tuesday morning, six evacuation orders and 10 evacuation aler
  
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• Lantzville mountain biker to rep the Maple Leaf at world championships in Italy

  25-08-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A Nanaimo area mountain biker has been selected to represent Team Canada at the world championships this week.
  Lantzville resident Piper Graaten, 16, will rep the Maple Leaf at the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Val Di Sole, Italy from Wednesday-Sunday, Aug. 26-30, on the strength of her performance at the 2026 Canadian Downhill Mountain Bike Championships at Sun Peaks Resort near Kamloops in late July – she took third in the expert women U19 division with a time of 5:33.99.
  
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• Evacuation alerts lifted in Peachland amid Bald Range wildfire in Summerland

  25-08-2026 14:23 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Less than an hour after lifting all evacuation alerts at the Quilpituk Creek wildfire, the Central Okanagan EOC announced the same for all properties in Peachland and Electoral Area West due to the Bald Range wildfire.
  “Although the Bald Range wildfire remains classified as out of control, BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) has concluded that the threat to these communities has passed,” said the EOC in an Aug. 24 press release.
  According to the EOC, BCWS will continue mop up operations along
  
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• 1982 Wells Gray Park murderer denied parole again

  25-08-2026 02:18 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The B.C. man who killed six members of a vacationing family in 1982 has once again been denied parole.
  David Ennis, formerly David Shearing, was denied full parole for the fourth time by the Parole Board of Canada. The decision was made on Aug. 19 and stated that Ennis’ risk of reoffending remains elevated.
  Ennis is serving a life sentence for six counts of second-degree murder for the killing of West Kelowna residents Bob and Jackie Johnson, their daughters Janet, 13, and Karen, 11, and J
  
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• Greater Victoria vets warn of increased bat activity

  25-08-2026 02:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Veterinarians are reminding the public that there is a high level of bat activity on Vancouver Island, which can present a risk of rabies to people and pets.
  According to a social media post from the Peninsula Veterinary Hospital in Sidney, a bat crashed into one of their employees while she was walking her dog in Brentwood Bay last week, contacting her skin close to her head and neck. They say she was assessed and started on rabies post-exposure treatments.
  They say the ER physician noted a spi
  
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• Findlay shuffles B.C. Conservative critic roles after Milobar, Paton departures

  25-08-2026 02:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay is forced to shuffle critic roles after two MLAs with major portfolios quit the party, and a third stepped down to allow her to run in a byelection.
  Kelowna-Mission MLA Gavin Dew will take over the Finance critic role from Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar, who quit on Aug. 14.
  Abbotsford South MLA Bruce Banman will take the Agriculture portfolio from Delta South MLA Ian Paton, who announced on Monday (Aug. 24) that he too is leaving the party to sit
  
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• Evacuation orders, alerts downgraded for Ainslie Creek wildfire west of Coquihalla

  24-08-2026 23:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) has downgraded some properties on evacuation order to alert, and some on evacuation alert to all clear, due to decreased threat from the Ainslie Creek wildfire.
  The fire, still burning out of control between Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon, Highway 8, and Highway 5, showed minimal growth over the past 24 hours. As of noon on Monday (Aug. 24) it was estimated at 67,722 hectares; only 15 hectares larger than on Sunday.
  An evacuation order covering 61 add
  
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• Inside Victoria’s century-old legislative library preserving B.C.’s history

  24-08-2026 22:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Tucked away from public view, beyond the limits of the B.C. legislature’s guided tours, lies one of the province’s best-kept hidden gems.
  Making your way through the maze-like halls of the government building, you can eventually find the legislative library.
  As visitors enter the premises, they are met by architecture that blends the grandeur of Versailles with the elegance of Oxford’s historic reading rooms, featuring towering scagliola columns, Carrara marble walls imported f
  
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• Victoria cycling grandmothers tackle 20th 5-week fundraising ride for peers in Africa

  24-08-2026 20:44 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Small swarms of cycling women bedecked in bright green, orange and yellow jerseys are among the 73 cyclists in the five-week Victoria Grandmothers 20th annual cycle tour.Most days one group or another can be seen across Greater Victoria – riding the trails to the Roost, ’round the coast, or out to Sooke Potholes. Among them is first-time participant Christine Gotzman, who has always loved riding, an activity that makes her feel ageless.“I’m simply enjoying the moment, the
  
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• PHOTOS: B.C.’s buffest flex their skills at strongman provincials in Abbotsford

  24-08-2026 20:35 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Mountains of muscle were on display at B.C. Strongman Provincials, which took over a corner of the Sevenoaks Shopping Centre parking lot on Aug. 15.
  Frank Lalonde, who was one of the event organizers, said the competition was a big success and led to many athletes setting new personal records.
  The competitors went toe-to-toe across five events, which included squats, stone to shoulder, overhead press, deadlifts, and shield carry.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Brandon Tucker | Event
  
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• No kidding: ‘Goatscaping’ herd take bite out of wildfire risk in B.C. city

  24-08-2026 19:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  When you think of goats, you might picture cute, four-legged mischief-makers capable of eating just about anything in their path – from underwear left hanging on a clothesline to, according to one person, an entire couch.
  Fire service volunteers probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind.
  While tales of goats devouring unusual objects may be more myth than fact, there’s no denying their appetite can serve a useful purpose. The critters enjoy nothing more than munching t
  
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• Suspected lightning-caused wildfire under control in Sooke Hills

  24-08-2026 19:05 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A small wildfire suspected to have been caused by a lightning strike is burning in Sooke Hills.
  Discovered Sunday, Aug. 23, the fire is located at Empress Mountain, within the Sea to Sea Regional Park.
  An update from the BC Wildfire Service Monday morning (Aug. 24), listed the fire as under control. The fire is not projected to spread beyond its current perimeter.
  BC Wildfire crews are responding to the wildfire listed as 0.009 hectares in size, with support from aviation crews.
  Smoke may be vis
  
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• Okanagan man’s death near Kamloops still a mystery one year later

  24-08-2026 19:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The murder of a Vernon Secondary School graduate on the outskirts of Kamloops remains a mystery one year later.
  At approximately 4 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, Kamloops RCMP responded to a vehicle fire on Tranquille-Criss Creek Road, where the body of 25-year-old Kamloops resident Dillen Bain was located deceased inside the vehicle.Bain was a 2018 VSS grad.
  The vehicle, a black 2019 Volkswagen Golf, is believed to have been intentionally set on fire along the service road.
  Prior to the fire, t
  
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• DEVELOPMENT OF A PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN: Reference No. TMW-0004-27-32

  24-08-2026 18:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  As per the Integrated Pest Management Act of British Columbia, Section 61(1) this is a public notification that:
  TELUS Communications Inc./Terrion is renewing an Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPMP) under the BC Integrated Pest Management Act and Regulation. TELUS manages property in the Province of BC which includes communications towers, network buildings and rights-of-way for above and below ground operations. The plan is described to ensure effective and safe control for invasive weeds and
  
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• Nanaimo South Wellington Community Centre opens to public

  24-08-2026 18:14 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The South Wellington Community Centre officially opened its doors, marking an end to a decade-long process which involved saving the building from demolition.On Wednesday, Aug. 19, the ribbon was cut, opening the centre, which also features a community park including a playground, sport court with basketball hoops and a play field.
  Originally, the site had been home to the South Wellington School, which had operated from 1969 until its closure in 2013.
  During the opening, Nanaimo-Lantzville MLA
  
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• Ian Paton leaves B.C. Conservatives, plans to form new party with Peter Milobar

  24-08-2026 18:05 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Delta South MLA Ian Paton is leaving the Conservative Party of B.C. to sit as an Independent and intends to form a new party with Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar in the coming weeks.
  Milobar will be the new party’s interim leader.
  The pair appeared together on the front steps of the B.C. legislature Monday morning (Aug. 24) to announce their intentions, shortly after Paton informed B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay he would leave her party.
  Paton says he is dissatisfied with h
  
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• Ian Paton leaves B.C. Conservatives, plans to form new party

  24-08-2026 18:05 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Delta South MLA Ian Paton is leaving the Conservative Party of B.C. to sit as an Independent.Paton made the announcement on the front steps of the B.C. Legislature Monday morning (Aug. 24).
  He said he was authorized advisory role in agriculture to give up his seat for new B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay.
  Paton was at least one of three MLAs who said no when asked to step down from their seat to allow Findlay to run.
  The morning after that news broke, Paton, in a statement released b
  
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• 1 evacuation alert rescinded after change in Brunswick Complex fire activity

  24-08-2026 17:04 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  An evacuation alert for Area B in the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) has been rescinded.
  The regional district announced that the alert for Sawmill Creek to Dogwood Valley first issued on Aug. 1 was cancelled after a change in wildfire activity in the area.
  Other evacuation orders and alerts from the FVRD related to the Brunswick Complex remain in effect. The regional district’s Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) continues to operate.The Brunswick Complex, which includes the 67,722-h
  
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• UPDATE: 5 wildfires remain out-of-control between Coquihalla, Highway 5A, Highway 3

  24-08-2026 15:50 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE 9:40 a.m.
  A new fire has sparked west of Highway 5A.
  The latest blaze, located by Bates Creek, is 0.009 hectares in size and out-of-control. It is suspected to be lightning-caused.
  The other fires in the area have not been updated by BC Wildfire Service yet on Monday.
  Original
  A thunderstorm over the weekend caused multiple wildfires to spark close to Tulameen and the surrounding area.
  As of Monday morning (Aug. 24), there are four out-of-control wildfires between the Coquihalla Highway,
  
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• 4 wildfires remain out-of-control between Coquihalla, Highway 5A, Highway 3

  24-08-2026 15:50 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  A thunderstorm over the weekend caused multiple wildfires to spark close to Tulameen and the surrounding area.
  As of Monday morning (Aug. 24), there are four out-of-control wildfires between the Coquihalla Highway, Highway 3, and Highway 5A, with three of them west of Tulameen.
  Of those, the largest one is along Lawless Creek Forest Service Road, close to Lower Mount Rabbit. In its last update, which came at 5:16 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23, the fire was listed at 12.17 hectares in size.
  A little no
  
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• Victoria police seek missing ‘vulnerable’ teen who may be Vancouver-bound

  24-08-2026 15:22 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Victoria Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating 16-year-old Alanna, who was reported missing by her family Sunday (Aug. 23).Alanna is considered vulnerable, and police are concerned for her wellbeing.The teen is described as 5’4″ with a medium build and long, thick black hair. She last seen wearing a black hoodie with white lettering on the sleeve, grey pants and carrying a black bag.
  Police have information that Alanna may have travelled to Vancouver and are
  
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• Fire activity could increase at 164,745 hectare Pear Lake blaze in the Cariboo

  24-08-2026 14:57 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Fire activity could increase at the 164,745-hectare Pear Lake blaze in the Cariboo.
  As BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) continues to battle the blaze, it said in its Sunday night update that the fire experienced rain over the weekend, but a warming and drying trend is expected to begin on Monday, Aug. 24.
  As of Monday morning, six evacuation orders and six evacuation alerts remain in place at the Big Bar complex.
  At the southern flank of the blaze, south of Pavilion Mountain, crews and heavy equipment
  
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• Rain kept fire behaviour low at Bald Range blaze west of Summerland: BCWS

  24-08-2026 14:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Rain over the weekend helped keep the Bald Range wildfire at bay over the weekend, but as temperatures rise, fire activity could as well.
  In its latest update from Sunday night, BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) said that despite gusty winds, rain from the weekend’s thunderstorm kept fire activity low on Aug. 23, along with lower temperatures and higher relative humidity. The northern part of the blaze received 6-7 mm of rain over the weekend, while the southern part experienced minimal rain.
  The
  
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• Nanaimo Child Development Centre begins fundraising campaign for new play space

  24-08-2026 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Nanaimo Child Development Centre has begun a fundraising campaign to build its long-anticipated new outdoor-play space at its location on Nelson Street.
  Stephanie Schweigert, the NCDC’s lead facilitator of its Drop-In Community Playgroup program, said the centre hopes to raise $50,000 for its new playground during an ongoing six-week campaign that ends on Oct. 1.
  She said what’s so exciting is that the organizers of the Big Kahuna Golf Classic have generously agreed to provide ma
  
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• Wildfire crews get a handle on 2 of 3 blazes near the Okanagan Connector

  24-08-2026 05:15 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  UPDATE: 8 p.m.
  The Lacoma Creek wildfire that sparked off Highway 97C on Sunday is now considered held.
  The blaze grew to .009 hectares and is lightning-caused.
  Another lightning-caused fire in the North Missezula Lake region, south of the Okanagan Connector and east of Highway 5A, is under control at .009 hecatres.
  The Davies Lake blaze, which is the largest of the lightning-caused fires in the area, remains out of control at 1.1 hectares.
  The fire was discovered on Aug. 22, south of Aspen Grov
  
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• Riley Creek fire south of Lillooet still out of control at 3,799 hectares

  24-08-2026 05:10 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  The Riley Creek wildfire south of Lillooet is still burning out of control, and was estimated at 3,799 hectares as of Sunday evening (Aug. 23).
  The area received some rainfall overnight on Aug. 22, which helped subdue fire activity but created additional safety hazards with unstable ground, which is likely to contribute to rolling debris. On Sunday, firefighting personnel responded in areas that were safe, given the erosion and terrain challenges.
  BC Wildfire Service says that there has been min
  
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