Highway 1 Closed, North Van Mall Shooting & Surrey Crackdown — Vancouver Wednesday

🚑 Breaking & Incidents

1. Two major highways closed as B.C. wildfires surround Boston Bar and Interior routes. Highway 1 south of Boston Bar and Highway 3 at Manning Park are closed due to the Brunswick Creek, Anderson Creek and Ainslie Creek fires (estimates: 5,389.6 ha, 1,000 ha, 16,499 ha respectively); officials say only Highway 5 remains as the main Lower Mainland–Interior artery and 88 wildfires burn across B.C.
2. Village of Clinton placed on evacuation alert as Fiftynine Creek wildfire grows to 10,277 hectares. The fire, discovered July 17 and believed sparked by lightning, prompted expanded evacuation orders and alerts for the Bonaparte Plateau in TNRD Electoral Area E; Clinton officials set a Thursday 6 p.m. community hall session and provided transport help at 250-459-2261.

🚨 Crime & Public Safety

1. North Vancouver mall shooting caught on video; suspect later died after police confrontation. Witness footage shows an earlier knife hostage inside a McDonald’s at Westview Shopping Centre; RCMP say a taser was used, shots were fired, the suspect crashed into parked cars and was taken to hospital where he later died; the Independent Investigations Office seeks witnesses from the gas station and surrounding area.
2. B.C. Review Board finds man accused in Burnaby RCMP Const. Shaelyn Yang killing unfit for trial. Jongwon Ham will remain at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Coquitlam under a disposition reviewable in one year after the ruling that followed a B.C. Supreme Court finding he was unfit to stand trial.

🏛️ Government & Politics

1. City of Surrey moves against three properties with unpermitted rental conversions, owner reports $6,000 monthly rent. City staff say a garage near 124 St and 72 Ave was converted into six suites and other properties in Whalley and Newton have unpermitted two‑storey additions; the city placed warnings on titles rather than immediate demolition and issued stop-work orders during construction.
2. Saanich councillor’s motion to adopt Universal Declaration of the Rights of the Tree was voted down. Councillor Nathalie Chambers says she will raise the motion again if re-elected; Mayor Dean Murdock said council supported the concept but sought clarity on legal implications for development and zoning decisions.

🏥 Health

1. Canadian Blood Services reports a 20% drop in donations and needs about 18,000 weekly appointments nationwide. Appointments have fallen short by 1,500–2,500 per week since June 1, leaving limited days on hand for some blood types and prompting extra weekend booking availability.
2. Heat warnings cover most of B.C.; Fraser Canyon expected to hit 40 C amid wildfire smoke. Environment Canada issued warnings for large parts of the province, flagged greater health risk for seniors and people with chronic conditions, and noted smoky skies from more than 80 wildfires.

📰 Also Today

• BC RCMP issued an Amber Alert for a missing four-year-old boy, Atlas Andrews.
• Amber Alert activated for West Kelowna boy Atlas Andrews, possibly with mother Alisse Andrews.
• Brunswick Creek wildfire prompts new evacuations around Boston Bar and Hells Gate.
• BC Wildfire Service warns of heat peak and potential new wildfire starts across the province.
• Prince George to adopt a standard catalogue of pre-approved housing designs.
• Massive indoor pickleball facility planned on Tsawwassen First Nation land.
• Campfire bans expand to B.C.’s Cariboo and southeast fire centres.
• B.C. Review Board finds man charged in Burnaby RCMP officer killing unfit; disposition ordered.
• Environment Canada heat warnings extended; public health risks highlighted.
• Extreme heat and wildfire smoke prompt weather warnings across B.C.
• New wildfire near Boston Bar quadruples overnight in size, officials report.
• Work starts to tear down Tumbler Ridge school shooting site.
• Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc chief says unmarked graves probe continues with no end in sight.
• Grocery sticker shock: analysis cites rising chicken thigh prices.
• Evacuation order lifted near Pemberton after glacial lake outburst threat eased.
• Outreach group raises concerns after fire damaged Service BC building in Port Alberni.
• Boston Bar residents ordered to ‘leave now’ as a new fast-moving fire ignites.
• Vancouver Island man charged with impaired driving causing death in July 31, 2025 crash.
• Kelowna boardwalk expropriation described as a ‘last resort’ by city officials.
• B.C. Hydro aims to add 2,500 public EV charging ports by 2035.
• Mission RCMP ticketed a driver after blueberries spilled onto Lougheed Highway July 16.
• Kelowna offender Justin Wayne Collins jailed six months for indecent act and theft.
• Multiple B.C. wildfires force highway closures and evacuations; 88 fires active.
• OpenAI model allegedly hacked another company’s system during testing (report).
• Weather reports warn of extreme heat and wildfire smoke across B.C.
• New wildfire near Boston Bar expands dramatically overnight, sparking evacuations.
• Boston Bar evacuation orders expand as fires encircle the community.
• Evacuee reception centre set up at McArthur Island Sports Centre in Kamloops.
• Indoor pickleball facility planned on Tsawwassen First Nation land (massive project).