Human-Caused Wildfire Near Port Alberni Brought Under Control

by | Aug 11, 2026 11:22 | Provincial

A small wildfire near Port Alberni has been brought under control after crews responded to a brush fire Sunday.

The BC Wildfire Service says the fire was discovered Aug. 9 near Athol Road, just off the Alberni Highway.

The blaze was estimated at approximately 0.009 hectares and is suspected to have been human-caused.

The Cherry Creek Fire Department responded to the fire in the 5000-block of Athol Road and reported that no structures were damaged and no injuries occurred. The department said the fire was extinguished by midnight.

By Monday, BC Wildfire Service had classified the fire as fully out, meaning it was no longer considered active.
The Athol Road fire was briefly one of three active wildfires on Vancouver Island.

The 6.3-hectare Kalpit Lake wildfire, located southwest of Woss, was discovered July 21 and has also now been declared fully out. BC Wildfire Service suspects the fire was caused by lightning.

The only remaining active wildfire on Vancouver Island is the Mount Alston fire, southeast of Woss on the North Island. The 0.009-hectare fire was discovered July 23 and is classified as being held. It is also suspected to have been caused by lightning and is not considered a threat to critical infrastructure or public safety.

Across British Columbia, 105 wildfires were burning as of Monday, including four new fires reported during the previous 24 hours.

BC Wildfire Service continues to warn of the potential for new lightning-caused fires, particularly in the central Interior and Okanagan, as hot and dry conditions persist.

Officials are also cautioning that wildfires can establish and spread rapidly during periods of hot, dry weather. Steep terrain and strong winds can further accelerate fire growth.

Anyone who spots a wildfire is asked to report it to BC Wildfire Service at 1-800-663-5555, *5555 from a cellphone, or through the BC Wildfire Service mobile app.

Helicopter Pilot Injured After Crash During BC Wildfire Operations

by | Aug 11, 2026 09:08 | Provincial

A helicopter pilot was hospitalized Tuesday after the aircraft crashed into a lake while taking part in wildfire operations in B.C.’s South Cariboo region.

The crash occurred Tuesday morning as crews were working on the Big Bar wildfire complex near 70 Mile House, according to the BC Wildfire Service.

The pilot was the only person aboard the helicopter and suffered minor injuries. The aircraft crashed into a lake during ongoing wildfire operations, although officials have not released further details about what led to the incident.

The crash comes as the Big Bar wildfire complex continues to threaten communities and property in the region. Wildfires associated with the complex have damaged or destroyed structures on approximately 120 properties near 70 Mile House.

The pilot’s identity, the helicopter operator and additional details about the circumstances surrounding the crash have not been released.

Investigation Underway

The incident is being investigated by multiple agencies, including the BC Wildfire Service, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and WorkSafeBC.

Officials have not provided a timeline for the investigations or released any preliminary findings about what caused the helicopter to crash.

It is also not yet clear whether the pilot was working for a private aviation contractor supporting wildfire operations or was directly employed by the BC Wildfire Service.
The investigation is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the crash, including the aircraft’s operation during wildfire response activities.

Further information is expected to be released as the investigations continue.

Saanich Woman Missing Near Woss For Two Weeks Found Safe

by | Aug 11, 2026 08:14 | Local

A 32-year-old Saanich woman who had been missing for more than two weeks has been found safe near Woss Lake, after searchers received reports that she may have been seen at a local boat launch.

Taisia Verbitchi was located Sunday on the eastern shore of Woss Lake, about five kilometres from the Woss Lake Campground, according to Campbell River Search and Rescue manager Daryl Beck.

Search crews had initially focused on the eastern side of the lake after Verbitchi was dropped off in the area on July 22.

She was last known to have been walking away from a forest service road carrying a backpack with a sleeping mat attached to the side. Verbitchi had reportedly told others she planned to camp with friends on the west side of Woss Lake, north of Woss Lake Park.

Saanich police issued a public appeal for information Friday after Verbitchi was reported missing.

The following day, about 15 search-and-rescue members searched trails and shoreline areas near where she was last seen.

Crews used ATVs, side-by-sides, search dogs and drones, while police conducted an aerial search of the lake.

According to Beck, RCMP asked search crews to stand down around 5 p.m. Saturday, although police continued searching the following day.

Verbitchi was eventually spotted from a boat by a conservation officer on Sunday. Beck said she was found roughly five kilometres from the Woss Lake Campground along the eastern shoreline.

“Somehow, she got from the west side of the lake where she was last seen to the east side,” Beck said.

Beck added that she was located about one kilometre outside one of the search zones that crews had planned for the eastern side of the lake.

Members of the Woss community had previously reported possible sightings of Verbitchi near a boat launch, although it remains unclear how she travelled to the remote area where she was found.

Verbitchi’s mother, Aliona Verbitchi, who lives in Alberta, said she is grateful to everyone who helped in the effort to locate her daughter.

Three Year Old Injured In Maple Ridge Bear Attack As Search Continues For Animal

by | Aug 10, 2026 20:17 | Provincial

A three-year-old girl is recovering from non-life-threatening injuries after being attacked by a black bear outside her family’s Maple Ridge home Sunday, but the bear responsible remains at large.

The attack happened shortly before noon on Aug. 9 while the child was playing on the deck of her family’s backyard near 240 Street and 124 Avenue.

A parent who was nearby intervened and chased the bear away. The girl was taken to BC Children’s Hospital by air ambulance. Authorities said the decision to airlift her was made out of an abundance of caution because of her age.

The incident triggered a large response from Maple Ridge RCMP and the B.C. Conservation Officer Service, with police blocking off part of 240 Street while officers searched for the animal.

The situation escalated when another bear was spotted repeatedly in the area.

According to police, officers encountered a bear several times within roughly 40 minutes following the attack. The animal was seen on residential properties while people were outside, leading officers to believe it was the same bear that had attacked the child.

Officers shot the bear after determining it posed an ongoing threat. The wounded animal fled into a wooded area.

The bear was later located and killed.

However, an examination of the animal has now determined that it was not the bear responsible for the attack. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service notified police that necropsy results showed the deceased bear was not the offending animal.

That means the bear that attacked the child remains somewhere in the area, and conservation officers are continuing their search.

Police defend decision

The revelation that the wrong bear was killed has raised concerns in the community, but Maple Ridge RCMP said officers acted on the information available to them at the time.

Police said the bear was seen multiple times in the same area shortly after the child was attacked, including on residential properties where people were present.

Based on those circumstances, officers believed they were dealing with the bear involved in the attack and made the decision to dispatch it in an effort to prevent another injury or potentially a loss of life.

The RCMP said the information confirming it was a different bear was not available when officers encountered the animal.

Police also acknowledged that the loss of wildlife is significant and said decisions involving the destruction of an animal are not taken lightly.

The focus has now shifted back to locating the bear that attacked the child.

Authorities are asking people in the area to avoid the affected neighbourhood and remain indoors while the search continues.

Bear safety reminder for B.C. residents

The Maple Ridge incident is a reminder that black bears can turn up in residential neighbourhoods, particularly in communities surrounded by forest and other natural habitat.

For people living in areas such as the North Island, where bears are a regular part of the landscape, conservation officials recommend taking steps to avoid attracting wildlife close to homes.

Residents should keep garbage secured, avoid leaving pet food outdoors and clean up fallen fruit and other potential food sources. BBQs and outdoor cooking areas should also be cleaned regularly.

If a bear is spotted, people should keep their distance and bring children and pets inside when possible. A bear that appears calm should not be approached, followed or cornered.

The Conservation Officer Service continues to investigate Sunday’s attack and search for the bear responsible.

The three-year-old’s injuries have been described as non-life-threatening and non-life-altering.

Online News Act Leaves Rural Canadians Without Reliable Wildfire Information

by | Aug 8, 2026 21:25 | Local

A report submitted to the House of Commons heritage committee says the federal Online News Act contributed to a loss of credible local news on Facebook during wildfire emergencies, with rural communities particularly affected.

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia, examined how the disappearance of Canadian news content from Facebook affected communities during wildfire events.

The report, When Good Intentions Cause Harm: The Online News Act, Meta’s News Ban And Public Safety During Wildfire Emergencies, focuses on several B.C. communities and looks at the impact of Meta’s decision to block Canadian news content from Facebook and Instagram.

The move followed the federal government’s passage of Bill C-18, also known as the Online News Act. The legislation was intended to require major digital platforms to negotiate compensation agreements with Canadian news organizations for news content shared on their services.

Meta opposed the legislation and subsequently blocked news content from its platforms in Canada.

According to the UBC researchers, the change had significant consequences in smaller and rural communities, where Facebook had become an important source of information during emergencies.

The researchers argued that the loss of local journalism was especially problematic during wildfires, when residents need timely and trustworthy information about evacuation orders, alerts, road closures and other developments.

“Rural B.C. communities lost access to credible journalism at the precise moment they needed it most,” the researchers wrote, arguing that the situation had implications for public safety, public trust and compliance with emergency directions.

The report found that the removal of professional news coverage did not result in Facebook becoming an information-free environment. Instead, posts from individuals continued to circulate, with researchers arguing that emotionally charged content could receive greater attention and contribute to anger, speculation and conspiracy theories.

Researchers attributed the information gap to several factors, including declining trust in institutions, social media algorithms and the loss of professional journalism from Facebook.

The report also raised concerns about the changing nature of mainstream wildfire coverage. With fewer local journalists available to provide on-the-ground reporting and established relationships with communities, news organizations were increasingly reliant on government agencies and other official sources.

According to the researchers, this could result in coverage that focused heavily on whether residents were following emergency instructions rather than documenting the experiences and concerns of people directly affected by wildfires.

The findings point to what researchers described as an unintended consequence of the Online News Act. While the legislation was intended to address the financial challenges facing Canadian journalism, particularly those created by changes in the digital advertising market, its implementation was followed by the removal of Canadian news from one of the country’s most widely used social media platforms.

The report has renewed discussion about the role of local journalism in rural communities and how residents receive critical information during emergencies.

The findings were first reported by Blacklock’s Reporter, an independent Canadian news organization that has opposed the Online News Act. The outlet has argued that the legislation represents federal intervention in Canada’s news market and says it did not seek or accept payments made available through the legislation.

Police Seek Saanich Woman Last Seen Camping Near Woss

by | Aug 8, 2026 21:07 | Local

Police are asking for the public’s help locating a 32-year-old Saanich woman who has been missing since she was dropped off near Woss more than two weeks ago.

Saanich Police say Taisa Verbitchi was last seen shortly before 7 p.m. on July 22, when she was dropped off at the end of West Woss Road. She had planned to camp in the Woss area.

More than two weeks have now passed since Verbitchi was last seen, and police are appealing to anyone who may have been travelling through the area or spending time outdoors near Woss to come forward with information.

The remote North Island area is surrounded by extensive forests, lakes, backroads and recreational areas, and police are particularly interested in hearing from anyone who may have encountered Verbitchi or seen her while travelling in the region.

According to information released by Saanich Police, Verbitchi is 32 years old. Police have released her photograph as part of the search and are asking anyone with information about her whereabouts to contact investigators.

The circumstances surrounding her disappearance have not been publicly detailed, and police have not indicated that a criminal investigation is underway.

Anyone who may have information that could help establish Verbitchi’s movements after she was dropped off near West Woss Road is asked to contact Saanich Police.

Police are urging anyone who was camping, hiking, driving forestry roads or otherwise travelling through the Woss area around July 22 or in the days afterward to consider whether they may have information that could assist the investigation.

Saanich Police continue to list the case as an active missing-person investigation.