Thursday, March 28, 2024
ADVT 
National

All hands on deck for wildfire fight: B.C. premier

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 16 Jul, 2021 12:45 PM
  • All hands on deck for wildfire fight: B.C. premier

British Columbia Premier John Horgan says all hands are on deck in the wildfire fight and declaring a provincial state of emergency would have few advantages.

Opposition politicians and members of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District - where 13 per cent of the district is under an evacuation order or alert - are urging Horgan to declare the emergency.

More than 300 wildfires are burning in the province, affecting about 1,500 properties where residents were ordered to leave earlier this week and evacuation alerts remain up for many more, including the entire communities of 100 Mile House, Ashcroft and Cache Creek.

Horgan says he will declare a state of emergency only when advised to by firefighters and Emergency Management BC.

Environment Canada says heat warnings for parts of the central and southern Interior have ended but wildfire smoke means air quality advisories are posted for most of the eastern half of B.C., with conditions not expected to improve through the weekend.

Some parts of the Interior could see showers, but the weather office says any rain in the wildfire-ringed area of 100 Mile House over the next 24 hours could be accompanied by lightning.

MORE National ARTICLES

Cruise ships back in Canadian waters on Nov. 1

Cruise ships back in Canadian waters on Nov. 1
The federal government says cruise ships will be allowed back in Canadian waters in November, but they must follow public health requirements. Transport Minister Omar Alghabra says the prohibition on cruise ships because of COVID-19 will be lifted Nov. 1.

Cruise ships back in Canadian waters on Nov. 1

Investigation into alleged racist comments hurled at a Sikh security guard in Kelowna taking place

Investigation into alleged racist comments hurled at a Sikh security guard in Kelowna taking place
Since then, a video has emerged of a protestor yelling what appear to be racially motivated comments and accusations at a staff member who asked him to leave the property.

Investigation into alleged racist comments hurled at a Sikh security guard in Kelowna taking place

Former defence chief Jonathan Vance charged

Former defence chief Jonathan Vance charged
Retired general Jonathan Vance, former chief of the defence staff, has been charged with obstruction of justice related to an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.

Former defence chief Jonathan Vance charged

Coyotes euthanized after Stanley Park attack

Coyotes euthanized after Stanley Park attack
The statement says one of the animals was found close to the site where the child was bitten on the head and neck at around dusk on Monday.

Coyotes euthanized after Stanley Park attack

More ground to search in Kamloops, expert says

More ground to search in Kamloops, expert says
Prof. Sarah Beaulieu of the University of the Fraser Valley says the search has covered less than a hectare and there is another 65 hectares to search. Beaulieu says the investigation also has evidence from those who were as young as six at the time being woken in the night to dig graves.

More ground to search in Kamloops, expert says

WHO chief says it was 'premature' to rule out COVID lab leak

WHO chief says it was 'premature' to rule out COVID lab leak
In a rare departure from his usual deference to powerful member countries, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said getting access to raw data had been a challenge for the international team that traveled to China earlier this year to investigate the source of COVID-19. The first human cases were identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

WHO chief says it was 'premature' to rule out COVID lab leak