Kelowna
Campfire ban lifted in Clearwater area
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you want to have a fire while camping this weekend you may be fighting off the masses heading north to the Clearwater region thanks to the campfire ban being rescinded as of noon Wednesday for that fire zone. B.C. Wildfire is now allowing campfires in the area thanks to rain reducing the...
Thompson-Okanagan drownings could have been prevented
THOMPSON OKANAGAN - A 14-year-old boy who died in a tubing accident in Vernon is one of 42 people across the province, and seven in the Thompson-Okanagan alone, whose lives were claimed in preventable drowning or water-related incidents over the past six and a half months. Miles Wohlford, 14, fell off his tube during an afternoon...
PHOTOS: Tattoo festival back for second year
KELOWNA – The Okanagan’s only tattoo culture and arts show was back in Kelowna over the weekend for the second year in a row. The Okanagan Tattoo Show is becoming an annual event drawing thousands of fans of body modification and tattoo culture to Parkinson Recreation Centre over the weekend. Aside from having some of...
Fires rage across province
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Firefighting resources are being juggled and reassigned as British Columbia's Wildfire Management Branch handles several blazes, including one that forced about 2,500 people from their homes. The Smith Creek fire near West Kelowna raged to an estimated 400 hectares by Friday morning, only a day after an evacuation order was issued for the...
Date set for Snelson retrial
KAMLOOPS – After several delays and a successful bail, a date has been set for Neil George Snelson’s re-trial. Snelson, 47, was already tried and convicted of manslaughter in the death of Jennifer Cusworth in 2011. He appealed his conviction and won a second trial set to take place in Kamloops Supreme Court next year....
Support for firefighters heats up on social media
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Firefighters have been working hard to battle blazes across the province. Many residents have taken the time to thank the B.C. Forest Service and municipal fire crews for fighting day and night. Below are some helpful lines of support and thank you's from the public. Did you know? B.C. Wildfire has a specific...
UPDATE: Aggressive Murray Lake fire partially contained
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - An aggressive fire south of Merritt near Murray Lake is now 30 per cent contained, though an evacuation order for all properties adjacent to the lake remains. The Thompson Nicola Regional District issued the state of emergency and evacuation order around 9 p.m. Wednesday due to the potential threat. The evacuation order covers...
Boil water advisory for residents on Southeast Kelowna Irrigation District
KELOWNA – Kelowna residents under the Southeast Kelowna Irrigation District must boil their water before drinking until further notice. According to a release today, the main power to the facility was disconnected earlier today for routine line maintenance. A backup generator used to power the chlorination system then failed and stopped the supply of chlorine...
UPDATE: Aggressive fire near Coquihalla toll booth prompts evacuation alert
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - An evacuation alert has been issued and B.C. Wildfire is keeping crews off of a fire three kilometres west of the old toll booth along the Coquihalla Highway because it's just too dangerous. “It’s displaying aggressive behaviour, a rank five. It has an organized flame front and is spreading quickly,” Fire Information Officer...
Evacuation information: What you need to know
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - During fire season, it’s always best to keep an emergency plan in place in case you are under evacuation alert. An alert doesn’t mean you have to leave your home right away, but it’s time to get personal items at the ready in case the alert becomes an evacuation order. DURING AN EVACUATION...
Eyesore motel blasted by Kelowna city council
KELOWNA – A boarded up motel on Harvey Avenue is getting some negative attention from Kelowna city council for its shabby appearance. The derelict Ponderosa Motel sits just east of Parkinson Recreation Centre at 1864 Harvey Ave. Coun. Robert Hobson says the motel, which closed in 2011, has become an eyesore. “It is incredibly ugly,”...
Canada’s oldest swim event takes place this weekend
KELOWNA – Canada’s biggest and longest running swim event is back in Kelowna for the 66th year in a row. This Across the Lake Swim will be the biggest yet with 900 participants signed-up to swim 2 km from the Old Ferry Wharf in West Kelowna to City Park. Participants leave the shores of West Kelowna...
VIDEO: What an Okanagan Rail Trail could look like
VERNON - A new video showcases the merits of converting the rail bed between Vernon and Kelowna into a multi-purpose trail. The 50 km stretch runs along Kalamalka Lake, Wood Lake and Duck Lake and past 22 parks. Canadian National has begun the process of selling off the line, whose former operator Kelowna Pacific Railway...
Fire closes Mt. Boucherie Park
KELOWNA - An interface fire Tuesday afternoon has prompted closure of Mt. Boucherie Park until fire crews finish putting out hot spots and the district can assess the risk. The fire began around 3 p.m. Tuesday and quickly grew to just over four hectares. West Kelowna fire crews were aided by B.C. Wildfire air tankers...
More weather records fall, rain finally in forecast
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - While most of the Interior saw temperatures soar above the mid-30s Wednesday only a few communities actually saw old records broken. Penticton, Osoyoos and Clinton all set new records for July 16 but Osoyoos saw the biggest jump with a temperature of 39.6 Celsius, up nearly three degrees from the previous record set...