🚑 Breaking & Incidents
- Subtropical thunderstorm produced more than 7,000 lightning strikes and sparked new wildfires across B.C. The B.C. Wildfire Service reported 57 new fires and 15 declared out within 24 hours after the storm; there are 172 active wildfires in the province and hot, dry, windy conditions could return this week. Vancouver International Airport reported long delays and planes were held on taxiways for hours during the storm.
🚨 Crime & Public Safety
- Man who set fire as a distraction to shoplift in Downtown Eastside gets two-year conditional sentence. Victor Atkinson, 50, pleaded guilty to arson to property for the March 30 Nesters Market fire and received a two-year conditional sentence plus two years’ probation; Crown noted 14 prior property offences on his record and had sought a two-year jail term citing extreme danger to shoppers and residents above the store.
- Amsterdam ‘Lucky’ is not Vancouver missing man John Russell Kenny, police confirm. Amsterdam police and Vancouver police matched fingerprints and ruled out the 1994 missing-person lead; Amsterdam says it has received more than 500 tips since releasing video of “Lucky” and is investigating at least nine leads while the man continues to suffer aphasia.
🎨 Community & Culture
- Relay team swimming 1,375 km down B.C.'s Fraser River to promote rivershed protection. A relay swim covering 1,375 kilometres down the Fraser River is underway to raise awareness for rivershed protection.
📰 Also Today
- Rare thunderstorm with lightning wows southern B.C., disrupts Vancouver airport.
- Rise rout Rapid 5-1 in NSL play, four-goal second half by Rise.
- Master W̱SÁNEĆ weaver shares connection to land, lineage and natural dyes.
- Surrey man honours Sherpa who saved his life on Mount Everest, tribute reported.
- ‘Super’ El Niño not cause of this year’s fires, but forecast to intensify, meteorologists warn.
- Kimberley residents debate future of Peak to Platzl trail, local consultations ongoing.
- (Duplicate listed above) Mystery ‘Lucky’ found in Amsterdam cleared as B.C. missing person lead, fingerprints did not match.
- B.C. Conservative MLA for Abbotsford-Mission to step down, party announces leadership opening.
- Summerland family burglarized during wildfire evacuation, family reports violation during evacuation.
- Alert Bay leaders ban alleged assailant after nurse attacked, local council issues ban.
