Thursday, May 7, 2026
ADVT 
National

Large, smoky fire extinguished in Metro Vancouver, air quality bulletin to be lifted

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 21 Jun, 2024 10:03 AM
  • Large, smoky fire extinguished in Metro Vancouver, air quality bulletin to be lifted

The Metro Vancouver Regional District says a fire at a trestle bridge in Richmond, B.C., has been extinguished after sending up huge plumes of smoke that prompted an air quality bulletin for the region. 

The district says in an update on the social media platform X that air quality has now improved and it will issue an update to end the bulletin.

The district's air quality map shows the area around the now-extinguished blaze near the Oak Street Bridge on the north arm of the Fraser River is ranked at level two of 10, indicating "low risk."

Richmond Fire-Rescue said earlier Friday that crews had put out the warehouse portion of the industrial fire that broke out near River Rock Casino.

At the time, they were still working to extinguish flames on the trestle bridge at the boundary between Richmond and Vancouver.

The province's driver information system, DriveBC, indicates the Oak Street Bridge is now open in both directions after the fire forced its closure Thursday night.

Vancouver International Airport says its operations are not affected, but it encourages passengers to plan ahead and allow extra time to reach the airport. 

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Feds to launch Canada-U.S. engagement strategy as presidential election looms

Feds to launch Canada-U.S. engagement strategy as presidential election looms
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government will launch a renewed effort to promote Canada's interests in the United States as the spectre of another Trump presidency looms. He announced the "Team Canada engagement strategy" at the final day of a cabinet retreat in Montreal on Tuesday.  

Feds to launch Canada-U.S. engagement strategy as presidential election looms

Cap on student visas could wreak financial havoc on Ontario universities, says rep

Cap on student visas could wreak financial havoc on Ontario universities, says rep
Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced new limits to the international student program Monday, including a 35 per cent reduction in the number of study permits it issues this year. The cap comes in response to a recent surge in international students and concerns that some institutions are relying on international enrolments to boost revenues, without offering necessary housing or a quality education.

Cap on student visas could wreak financial havoc on Ontario universities, says rep

Metro Vancouver says stench from Burnaby refinery didn't breach air quality limits

Metro Vancouver says stench from Burnaby refinery didn't breach air quality limits
Metro Vancouver says an acrid odour that blanketed parts of the region on Sunday contained elevated contaminant levels, but didn't breach pollution standards. The regional federation of municipalities says it monitors emissions of particulates, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide from Burnaby's Parkland fuel refinery, and air quality objectives for the contaminants weren't exceeded.

Metro Vancouver says stench from Burnaby refinery didn't breach air quality limits

3 dead after helicopter crashes near Terrace

3 dead after helicopter crashes near Terrace
A heli-skiing company says three people have died after one of its helicopters crashed in west-central British Columbia. Northern Escape Heli-Skiing, which is based in Terrace, B.C., confirmed the deaths in a news release but did not say how many people were involved in the crash near the city.

3 dead after helicopter crashes near Terrace

Metro Vancouver residents scramble for another ride as bus strike drags into Day 2

Metro Vancouver residents scramble for another ride as bus strike drags into Day 2
Hundreds of thousands of Metro Vancouver residents are without a bus ride again today as striking transit supervisors carry on with their 48-hour strike. The dispute between more than 180 members of CUPE Local 4500 and Coast Mountain Bus Company has stopped 96 per cent of the region's buses as well as the SeaBus across Burrard Inlet.   

Metro Vancouver residents scramble for another ride as bus strike drags into Day 2

Winters Hotel fire: B.C. inquest told of chained door, 'no way out' from deadly blaze

Winters Hotel fire: B.C. inquest told of chained door, 'no way out' from deadly blaze
A coroner's inquest has been told that a Vancouver rooming house where a fire killed two people in 2022 had a chained door, as relatives testified about the devastating impact of the blaze. The inquest into the deaths of Mary Ann Garlow and Dennis Guay began Monday with family members describing their loss in the fire that gutted the Winters Hotel in Vancouver.   

Winters Hotel fire: B.C. inquest told of chained door, 'no way out' from deadly blaze