Some sporadic rain showers might not be enough to counter lightning strikes that hit parts of southwestern B.C. Thursday evening, adding to the risk of new forest fires. An evacuation order is now in effect for Boston Bar as the Brunswick Complex wildfire continues to grow in the Fraser Canyon. Highway One remains closed. Meanwhile, parts of Pemberton are now under an evacuation alert as crews try to control the Signal Hill wildfire. Warmer, drier conditions are expected to return to most areas of the province late this weekend.

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is going to war with the province over its rollout out of the involuntary care program. Sim refuses to give details about his plan but argues new beds must be located in the city. In 2024, the provincial government had joined Sim when Premier David Eby announced plans to open high-security facilities for those suffering from any combination of addictions, mental health issues and brain injuries. Sim now says the city is being ignored as none of those beds are coming to Vancouver.

Two people have been killed in the crash of a small helicopter on the B.C. coast. West Coast Helicopters says one of its Hughes 500 choppers went down in a remote area north of Vancouver Island early Tuesday morning, killing two forestry workers. Another person survived. TSB investigators are spending their Wednesday at the crash site, trying to figure out why it happened.

The BC Nurses Union is suspending its picket lines as mediators Vince Ready and Amanda Rogers bring the sides together for talks. Union president Adriane Gear says she has guarded optimism and the appointment of the mediators is a positive step. Premier David Eby has said he doesn’t want to comment on the strike or talks during mediation. The union has been seeking improvements to workplace safety in addition to pay increases.

Dozens of people are on evacuation alert as a new and rapidly growing wildfire rages in the East Kootenay. The 1.15 square kilometre fire was first reported Saturday about 65 kilometres north of Cranbrook. The fire is believed to be human caused - a term used for any fire not caused by lightning. Meanwhile, cooler weather has allowed for Highway One to be reopened in the Fraser Canyon where the massive Brunswick Complex fire continues to burn. The BC Wildfire Service says its crews have had to suspend some firefighting efforts due to illegal drones in the area.

Breaking news: One person has suffered serious burns in a house fire in Mission. The fire broke out on Cherry Avenue near Doersksen Drive at around 6:00 p.m. Thursday, quickly spreading through the home. There’s no early word on the cause.

More breaking news: There’s been an apparent drowning at Mission’s Hayward Lake. Vancouver Rundown has learned fire crews performed CPR on an unresponsive victim, pulled from the water early Thursday evening. RCMP are investigating.

The BC Nurses Union plans to extend its pickets to more hospitals and care centres in the province. The BCNU says major facilities around the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island will be impacted. The move comes after negotiators hit an impasse. Essential services will remain in place.

Some buildings have now been lost as a massive wildfire continues to grow in the Fraser Canyon. As of Wednesday evening, the two massive fires near Boston Bar are now covering close to 20,000 hectares. Crews says strong winds and very dry conditions are making the fight against the Brunswick Complex fires difficult. More evacuation alerts have been issued, extending north into the Thompson-Nicola Regional District. Thick smoke from the fires is spreading into parts of the B.C. Interior.

The U.S. has indicted two dozen suspected gangsters, including several from B.C., for transnational crimes including extortion and murder. It follows an investigation into the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Two of those charged include those accused of shooting Hardeep Singh Nijjar in the parking lot of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Temple on June 18, 2023. Tuesday’s arrests followed searches in Surrey, White Rock and West Vancouver. Those arrested in B.C. face extradition to the U.S.