British Columbia News

Retrieved on: 2025-09-02 18:00:09 PDT

Large wildfire in B.C.'s Cariboo region sparks evacuation order

An evacuation order has been issued due to a large wildfire in B.C.'s Cariboo region on Tuesday night, covering 150 parcels of land and multiple First Nations reserves.

Kamloops lawyer accused of 1st-degree murder declines to take stand in own defence

Rogelio "Butch" Bagabayo was scheduled to take the stand when his trial resumed Tuesday, but instead his lawyer announced that the defence would not be calling any evidence.

B.C. library directors warn of service cuts, call on province to double funding

Public library directors in British Columbia say they are reaching a breaking point with rising demand and costs as provincial funding remains stagnant.

Hullo Ferries' workers vote 91% in favour of job action

The union representing Hullo workers says the company has refused to fairly negotiate a first collective agreement, after workers became unionized nearly one year ago.

More heat and smoke in the forecast for B.C. as temperature records tumble

Environment Canada has issued heat warnings for sections of the Boundary region, the North Coast, the Fraser Canyon and the North and South Thompson, saying temperatures will reach the mid-30s through to Thursday, with lows overnight down to about 18 C.

B.C. public service staff launch picket lines after strike deadline expires

The union that represents around 34,000 British Columbia public service workers says picket lines are going up in three cities Tuesday as industrial action begins across the province.

1 dead, 2 missing after hikers go over waterfall in the Kootenays: RCMP

One woman is dead and two people are missing after three hikers went over the Meachen Creek Falls in the Kootenays on Sept. 1, according to the RCMP.

B.C. composter with polluting history shuttered amid financial woes

Fraser Valley Renewables, a B.C. organics company with outstanding environmental violations, has shuttered its doors amid a court-ordered receivership against the company, its affiliates and its owner.

Rodents revealed: Reports detail hundreds of mouse and rat complaints in schools across Vancouver

The chair of Vancouver's district parent advistory council says parents need more transparency from the school board about the scope of rodent infestations in Vancouver schools. Melanie Cheng says she was shocked by documents obtained by CBC News detailing hundreds of complaints about mice and rats.

Measles still circulating as students head back to school following B.C.'s worst outbreak in a decade

As students head back to classrooms across northeast B.C., health officials are warning that measles is still circulating, and immunization rates remain too low to prevent another outbreak.

Ottawa tells CRA to fix its call centre problem so more Canadians can reach an agent

The federal government has instructed the Canada Revenue Agency to devise a 100-day plan to improve service at its call centres so more Canadians can get through by phone. The directive follows a CBC story about difficulties reaching an agent.

B.C. public workers to start job action Tuesday, union says

Some of B.C.'s 34,000 public sector workers will begin job action Tuesday. Paul Finch, the B.C. General Employees' Union president, isn't revealing which public workers will be on strike, but urged the public to respect picket lines.

#TheMoment a couple’s phone number became a barbecue hotline

Mirjana Komljenovic and Jim Klassen, of Summerland, B.C., tell The National about the moment they became an unofficial helpline for Napoleon Grills after their phone number was mistakenly listed online.

Can a non-corporate grocery chain work across Canada?

Building a nationwide chain of non-corporate grocers that could compete with the giants would be difficult, experts say.

The Sim'oogit Laay' totem pole is returning home after almost 80 years at a UBC museum

A Nisga'a totem pole from the house of Laay' is returning to the territory in northwestern B.C. after being housed in the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia since 1947.

Real or fake? AI, editing tools make severe storm photos more difficult to verify

Storm chasers and organizations like Environment and Climate Change Canada say an influx of modified and false weather imagery is having an effect on the credibility of storm images and is affecting public safety.

Many fish found dead in 'bone-dry' Nelson, B.C., creek

The City of Nelson, B.C. says it had to divert water from a local creek after the main drinking water source needed an emergency repair. A resident says he found hundreds of dead fish in the dry creek as a result.

Heat warnings issued for parts of B.C. Interior, North Coast

The B.C. Wildfire Service says 4,382 lightning strikes were recorded in B.C. on Friday and Saturday.

This chemistry professor has a side hustle as a crossword creator for the New York Times

Chemistry professor by day, crossword puzzle creator by night, Mark MacLachlan shares his tricks of the trade.

Wildfires are disrupting back-to-school again. Experts call for support to plan for them

Wildfires are once again disrupting the back-to-school season for some Canadian communities. Boards need multi-level support to prepare and regularly update emergency planning, some experts say, so that if disasters happen, kids get back to class as quickly as possible.