Vancouver Local News Digests

🚑 Breaking & Incidents

Faulder residents finally returned after nearly three weeks away. More than 100 structures were damaged or destroyed in the Bald Range wildfire in Faulder and Meadow Valley, and residents walked properties this week to assess losses; Ashley Jestin said her five‑acre home and three Ford trucks were destroyed and she estimates rebuilding could take up to two years. ↗
Climber airlifted after more than 100 wasp stings north of Vancouver. Lions Bay Search and Rescue reported the female climber was stung about 100 times on Redoubt Wall near Loggers Creek and required a helicopter extraction by North Shore Rescue before transfer to BC Emergency Health Services. ↗

Surrey Six convict Cody Haevischer loses bid to overturn 2014 convictions. Justice Martha Devlin dismissed Haevischer’s application after a hearing with 39 witnesses and 209 exhibits, finding most allegations meritless though acknowledging some solitary confinement breaches; Haevischer was convicted of six counts of first‑degree murder for the October 2007 Balmoral Tower killings. ↗
16‑year‑old arrested after head‑on crash on Highway 19 killed two men. BC Highway Patrol says the collision just after 3 a.m. near Ware Road involved a blue Kia minivan allegedly driving north in southbound lanes; police charged the Nanaimo teen with impaired operation causing death and are asking witnesses to contact Parksville detachment, quoting file (4201) 2026‑28277. ↗

Abbotsford‑South MLA Bruce Banman leaves BC Conservatives to sit as Independent. Banman cited concerns about new leader Kerry‑Lynne Findlay and joined several MLAs—Brennan Day, Teresa Wat, Rosayln Bird, Ian Paton and Peter Milobar—as defectors, saying he will sit as an Independent in the legislature. ↗
B.C. ends provincial state of emergency declared earlier this month. The province confirmed the emergency order is cancelled even as wildfire risk remains high, noting the declaration was never invoked and warning that 206 active wildfires still burn across B.C.; existing local evacuation orders and alerts remain in force. ↗

Highway 1 through Fraser Canyon reopens with alternating single‑lane traffic after seven‑week closure. The Ministry of Transportation says a two‑kilometre stretch near the Alexandra Tunnel has pilot‑vehicle escorting and delays up to 30 minutes while BC Hydro pole restoration continues, and closures may occur between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. ↗
TSB deploys investigators after small plane crash near Mission. The Transportation Safety Board confirmed the crash happened on Wednesday and the BC Coroners Service is investigating a death related to the accident; more details are expected Thursday. ↗

Vancouver Canucks sign goalie Chris Driedger to a professional tryout contract. Driedger, 32, posted an 8‑9‑2 record with a 3.05 GAA and .897 save percentage last season in the KHL and holds a 31‑24‑5 NHL career record with a .917 save percentage. ↗
Tree‑mapping pilot from Kelowna is expanding across B.C. to cool cities. The pilot aims to map urban trees to inform cooling strategies and is being rolled out to additional B.C. communities. ↗

Canada hires 64 foreign research chairs with $504 million funding. ↗
B.C. couple Dhaval and Megha Shah missing after Nepal‑Tibet flash floods; family seeks help. ↗
B.C. urges parents to update kids' vaccines; province cites 2,500+ U.S. measles cases this year. ↗
Langley outdoor preschool loses licence and shuts down over unused indoor space. ↗
Free Joffre Lakes passes being resold for profit, hiker reports. ↗
Hope still for two Vancouver Island pulp mills despite industry turmoil. ↗
Hudson's Hope residents say Site C‑acquired properties poorly managed by B.C. Hydro. ↗
Highway 1 through Fraser Canyon partially reopens after nearly two‑month closure. ↗
Mount Robson's Berg Glacier no longer reaches lake, cited as climate change symbol. ↗
Comox Valley staff say dozens more winter shelter beds are needed. ↗
Federal government invests $23.5M across six B.C. airports. ↗
Lower Mainland condo pre‑sale purchasers win ruling to declare contracts invalid. ↗