Vancouver Rundown

Heavy rainfall has prompted multiple evacuation requests on Vancouver Island’s West Coast Trail. Creeks and rivers are running high and Parks Canada is now telling people to avoid the popular trail. Rangers say it’s unsafe to cross many areas on foot. Close to 7,500 people from around the world hike the trail every year.

A planned Monday evacuation has been scheduled for 10:00 a.m. at 70 Mile House due to that massive wildfire. The Pear Lake and Fiftynine Creek wildfires merged Saturday evening, reaching close to 700 hectares. It’s hoped slightly cooler temperatures and rain might help crews battle the blaze.

Eleven people have been rescued following the crash of a Kenmore Air seaplane, 30 kilometres south of Point Roberts, WA. The de Havilland DHC-3 Otter hit the water at around 5:15 p.m. Thursday while on a flight from Seattle to San Juan Island. The 10 passengers and one pilot managed to escape before the plane exploded in flames. Four people were flown to hospitals in Bellingham and Seattle. A thunderstorm moved into the area just before the crash but investigators are still trying to figure out the cause.

A day of very hot, dry conditions has made the forest fire situation many times worse in southwestern B.C. A wildfire that broke out in the Fraser Canyon on Tuesday as quickly grown to a massive 44 square kilometres as of Wednesday evening. The Anderson Creek wildfire will be classified as part of the Brunswick complex which is burning on either side of Boston Bar. Highway One remains close in that area and evacuation orders remain in place.

A man’s been shot dead by Mounties following a bizarre incident at North Vancouver’s Westview Shopping Centre Tuesday afternoon. RCMP, responding to reports of a man with a knife inside the McDonald’s, say the suspect left, jumped in a parked vehicle and then smashed into several others. Vancouver Rundown has learned he briefly went inside the Esso/7-Eleven before entering the driver’s side of an unoccupied cop car, idling next to the gas pumps. Witnesses say they heard gunfire. The IIO will investigate what alternatives were used before the man was shot. RCMP have not commented on those details.

President Donald Trump has announced a new 50 per cent tariff on a wide range of Canadian products destined for the U.S. The move is said to be retaliation for Canada’s reaction to previous tariffs. Trump has signed three proclamations covering hundreds of exports including alcohol, dairy, hockey sticks and cement. The White House has justified the 50 per cent tariff saying other countries have accepted U.S. tariffs but Canada fought back. Ontario Premier Doug Ford is already asking Prime Minister Mark Carney to retaliate.

Breaking News: An evacuation order has been issued for those living or visiting a rural area near Clinton. The Pear Lake wildfire continues to burn out of control - evacuees are being told to drive north toward Clinton, using Pavilion-Clinton Road and Highway 97. Downing Provincial Park is also under an evacuation order. The Pear Lake fire started on Friday following a thunderstorm.

Some sporadic rain showers might not be enough to counter lightning strikes that hit parts of southwestern B.C. Thursday evening, adding to the risk of new forest fires. An evacuation order is now in effect for Boston Bar as the Brunswick Complex wildfire continues to grow in the Fraser Canyon. Highway One remains closed. Meanwhile, parts of Pemberton are now under an evacuation alert as crews try to control the Signal Hill wildfire. Warmer, drier conditions are expected to return to most areas of the province late this weekend.

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is going to war with the province over its rollout out of the involuntary care program. Sim refuses to give details about his plan but argues new beds must be located in the city. In 2024, the provincial government had joined Sim when Premier David Eby announced plans to open high-security facilities for those suffering from any combination of addictions, mental health issues and brain injuries. Sim now says the city is being ignored as none of those beds are coming to Vancouver.

Two people have been killed in the crash of a small helicopter on the B.C. coast. West Coast Helicopters says one of its Hughes 500 choppers went down in a remote area north of Vancouver Island early Tuesday morning, killing two forestry workers. Another person survived. TSB investigators are spending their Wednesday at the crash site, trying to figure out why it happened.

The BC Nurses Union is suspending its picket lines as mediators Vince Ready and Amanda Rogers bring the sides together for talks. Union president Adriane Gear says she has guarded optimism and the appointment of the mediators is a positive step. Premier David Eby has said he doesn’t want to comment on the strike or talks during mediation. The union has been seeking improvements to workplace safety in addition to pay increases.