Columbia Avenue update: uncontrolled intersection
Marwest and the City of Castlegar are advising the public that the second phase of the Columbia Avenue Complete Streets Project is commencing this week. The newly affected area is between 15Street and 17 Street on Columbia Avenue. The intersection at 15 Street and Columbia Avenue will temporarily become an uncontrolled...
CORRECTION TO LOCATION OF RECEPTION CENTRE: Evacuation ORDER issued for properties north of Deer Creek wildfire
The Deer Creek wildfire (N52489) has now grown to approximately 439 hectares and is still being responded to by BC Wildfire Service. Due to wildfire activity and forecast conditions, the Southeast Fire Centre has recommended the current Evacuation Alert in the area be immediately upgraded to an Evacuation ORDER for 13 properties...
Environment Canada calling for cool temperatures and rain this weekend
The Air Quality Index in Castlegar has improved to ‘unhealthy’ from yesterday’s ‘hazardous – a dramatic improvement, but that’s the least of today’s good news. Environment Canada is now calling for low temperatures and rain over the weekend, beginning Thursday night, and carrying on, potentially, through until at least Monday...
Editorial: How to avoid . . . breathing?
Recent announcements on air quality have stressed the hazards of breathing smoky air to children, old people, and anyone with respiratory issues such as asthma. But it’s bad for everyone, and we should all avoid it, whatever our age and level of health. Need convincing? Here’s some information about wildfire smoke from the...
Good news from RDKB, 22 addresses no longer on evac alert
On the advice of the BC Wildfire Service, the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary has rescinded an evacuation alert for 22 addresses near the Toronto Creek Fire, on the east side of the Granby River Valley. The Toronto Creek Fire is now fully contained and guarded, and classified as under control by the BC Wildfire Service....
Truck fire leads to sheepish public safety message
Ed. Note: I’m writing this in the first person to allow for a little bit of editorial latitude, because I found this both charming and great information to have, especially during fire season. I posted a story about a truck fire this morning, in part applauding two civilians, Pastor Rachel McFaddin and retired Castlegar...
RDCK UPDATE as of 12 p.m. Monday, Aug. 20
All current Evacuation ALERTS remain in effect: - Bulldog Mountain wildfire, affecting the area along Lower Arrow Lake from Renata to Shields - Deer Creek wildfire, affecting the area from south of Deer Park at Cayuse Creek, northwest along the lake to the end of Broadwater Road, and north to the end of Deer Creek Forest...
Truck fire sees pastor saving more than souls
A local pastor has apparently expanded her repertoire from saving locals from hellfire to saving locals from truck fires as well, after an incident Monday morning in Blueberry. The incident occurred just after 11 a.m. “I just so happened to look out my window and saw some really black smoke, and thought, ‘Well, ...
RDKB Update: Fire danger remains extreme across entire Kootenay Boundary
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary Emergency Operations Centre continues to monitor the wildfire situation in the Boundary region, RDKB staff said there are currently more than 151 fires burning within the Southeast Fire Centre with 80 addresses remaining on Evacuation Alert in the region, including three areas near...
RDCK EOC Update for Sunday, August 19, at 10:30 a.m.
The RDCK Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is fully staffed and active this morning. We are aware of a fire reported in the vicinity of the old mine site near the Galena Trail, between Three Forks and New Denver. We will provide more information as soon as we can. Saturday was a busy day across the […]