Bowen Island

A campfire ban is being reintroduced across much of British Columbia’s Coastal Fire Centre, including most of Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, as hot, dry weather raises wildfire danger. The restriction begins July 16 and is expected to remain until October 31 unless lifted earlier.

The regional district implements summer water restrictions annually at the start of May, but this year it is taking the unusual step of skipping Stage 1 restrictions and heading straight for Stage 2.

A mudslide in Coquitlam, B.C., brought down power lines and briefly cut electricity to about 5,000 customers as a prolonged atmospheric river event drenched coastal British Columbia. Authorities warned of further heavy rain, flooding risk, and potential landslides, with some evacuation orders and transportation disruptions elsewhere in the region.

Southern British Columbia saw record warm temperatures, heavy rain, powerful winds up to 119 km/h, and significant snowfall on the Coquihalla between Dec. 16–17, 2025. Environment Canada reported multiple daily high-temperature records in the Interior, 50–70 mm of rain on the South Coast, and 43 mm of snow on Highway 5.

Environment and Climate Change Canada reports 28 areas in British Columbia set Dec. 15 record highs, with Vancouver reaching 15.7 C and Kamloops hitting 18.6 C. The warmth followed an atmospheric river that also brought heavy rain to parts of the South Coast.

A 4-year-old humpback whale named Wisp washed up on Keats Island, B.C., after a suspected collision with a tour vessel, prompting advocates to call for stronger protections and safer boating practices. Authorities and locals are urging measures to reduce ship strikes in the area.

Unusual flower mortality on vegetable crops may suggests a potential decline in pollinator populations, as indicated by fewer insect collisions with car windshields.

The debris flow event at Ring Creek FSR highlights the importance of monitoring due to its potential impact on downstream communities, despite the presence of a debris flow barrier.

A mountain biker was attacked by a cougar near Squamish, B.C., suffering minor injuries before scaring the animal off with rocks.

A wildfire near Squamish, B.C., has expanded to over 50 hectares, prompting the evacuation of Alice Lake Provincial Park as crews battle the Dryden Creek fire.

Smoke from wildfires burning in the Canadian Prairies is degrading air quality in northeastern British Columbia, prompting Environment Canada to issue special air quality statements and advise residents to limit outdoor exposure.

A rare sighting of a cougar was reported in Vancouver's urban Dunbar area, close to Pacific Spirit Regional Park, prompting caution among residents.

A mudslide in Lions Bay, British Columbia, has resulted in one death and one person missing, prompting a local emergency declaration and highlighting the area's vulnerability to debris flows due to past geotechnical oversight.

High winds of up to 100 km/h have left thousands without power in British Columbia, with a storm surge warning issued for Metro Vancouver and coastal areas.

A family of killer whales was spotted near downtown Vancouver in a rare sighting likely linked to hunting for seals.

Eight skunks found dead last month in Vancouver and Richmond tested positive for avian flu.

As engineers and government officials try to locate the source of a sewage leak into the Capilano River, the Squamish Nation and a group of volunteers who monitor waterways on the North Shore say they are worried about the effect on young salmon in the river.

Vancouver Island is known for its predatory wildlife, such as black bears, coastal wolves and cougars. Many towns and villages sit in areas with high populations of predatory wildlife, making interactions with humans often inevitable, unless effective coexistence management is in place.

In 2022, an unprecedented bloom of moon jellyfish occurred numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

This happened about 250 m from the shore of the Fraser River in a creek at Colony Farms.