Smithers

While summer is well on the way for most of the province, five communities in northern B.C. experienced their coldest May 31 on record Sunday, according to Environment Canada data.

A Smithers man reports punching a cougar in the face during an unexpected encounter near Lake Kathlyn on July 26, sustaining minor injuries before the animal fled; conservation officers are monitoring the area for further cougar activity.

A European Skipper butterfly is observed in Northwest BC, an introduced species and one of several stressors underlying insect declines.

A major wildlife rehabilitation facility is bracing for the devastating impact of the B.C. wildfires on birds and mammals.

Cyanobacteria blooms usually occur in summer.