Environment

Nanaimo drenched by wet September, extreme seasonal weather continues

NANAIMO - When it rains it pours.Environment Canada meteorologist Lisa Erven said the hot and dry summer came to an abrupt end when the calendar to September, leading to consistent and steady rain loc...

Oct 04, 2021

Parksville individually counting, categorizing, tracking trees & city assets

PARKSVILLE - City staff are going to great lengths to ensure trees in their care are healthy through a growing library of information.In use behind the scenes with the City of Parksville since 2019, T...

Sep 29, 2021

Ecological future of Island's Englishman River secured through multi-million dollar donation

PARKSVILLE - The Nature Trust of BC has completed the purchase of a prized piece of property at the mouth of the Englishman River.Courtesy a $6 million donation from the Wilson 5 Foundation, the Natur...

Sep 16, 2021

Pilot project converts Nanaimo's take-out packaging to stainless steel

NANAIMO - To combat a spike in single use take-out food containers spurred by the pandemic, a new project is pushing people to make the move to metal.Reusables VI partnered with five Nanaimo restauran...

Sep 15, 2021

Crews begin building stairs to base of popular Ammonite Falls

NANAIMO - A timeline is in place to reverse the tradition of having to rely on an unauthorized rope to scale down the embankment to enjoy Ammonite Falls.Crews are scheduled to start phase two of upgra...

Sep 14, 2021

Nanaimo experiences hottest summer on record

NANAIMO - Paced by several suffocating heatwaves and limited rain, summer 2021 was one for the record books.Environment Canada's meteorological cycle considers June, July and August the summer season ...

Sep 09, 2021

Mt. Hayes wildfire considered under control, crews dousing hot spots

NANAIMO - BC Wildfire Service (BCWFS) personnel are mopping up the site of a once fast-growing fire northwest of Ladysmith.The BCWFS recently downgraded the 61.5 hectare Mt. Hayes wildfire from being ...

Sep 02, 2021

VIDEO: 'We've had multiple calls:' young cougar strolls through Nanaimo's Rocky Point area

NANAIMO - A cougar has been spotted multiple times in a north Nanaimo neighbourhood lately, which a veteran conservation officer called somewhat rare for the reclusive animal.Stuart Bates, central isl...

Aug 27, 2021

Injured ATV rider north of Horne Lake nearly tumbles over cliff

QUALICUM BEACH - A teenage girl was only a few feet from falling over steep cliff after a serious ATV mishap.Arrowsmith Search and Rescue president Nick Rivers said their agency responded Wednesday Au...

Aug 19, 2021

Mt. Hayes wildfire, southwest of Nanaimo airport, grows to 20 hectares

NANAIMO - A wildfire which sparked early Thursday afternoon has grown considerably. The Mt. Hayes fire, burning approximately 2.5 kilometres off of Hwy. 1, southwest of Nanaimo airport, grew rapidly a...

Alex Rawnsley Aug 19, 2021 Aerial resources were dropping regular loads of water and fire retardant on the Mt. Hayes fire, southwest of Nanaimo Airport (submitted photo/Jakob Mayfield)