A brake fire on a transport truck caused delays on the William Bennett Bridge Sunday evening. Firefighters quickly brought the situation under control, but two firefighters suffered minor injuries after a small explosion beneath the trailer. Northbound traffic was affected for about 30 minutes.In a media release, the K...

Sunday 5:20 p.m.The BC Wildfire Service reported early Sunday afternoon that the status of the wildfire burning near the La Casa area was "Being Held." That means based on fuel and weather conditions and resource availability, the fire was expected to remain within the current perimeter, control line or bound...

Saturday 9 p.m.The La Casa Wildfire was measured at 5.18 hectares late Saturday. In an update, Central Okanagan Emergency Management said while significant progress has been made on the blaze, residents in the area will continue to see flames, smoke and firefighting activity as BC Wildfire continues ground and aerial o...

Okanagan sports heroes were celebrated at a special event in Vernon.On July 20, Sport BC recognized 18 volunteers in the Okanagan with 2026 Community Sport Hero Awards.The awards celebrated the individuals who make amateur sports possible in their community."Volunteers are the backbone of sport in British Columbia...

Low water levels on Okanagan Lake are creating challenges for boaters, with several launch sites facing reduced access due to ongoing drought conditions.The City of Kelowna is warning boaters to plan ahead before launching or retrieving watercraft, saying lower lake levels are increasing the risk of damage to boats, tr...

Air quality conditions are improving across the Okanagan after wildfire smoke blanketed much of the region Thursday, creating hazy skies and unhealthy conditions for some residents.Smoke from multiple wildfires burning across British Columbia moved into the Southern Interior, affecting communities throughout the valley...

Local businesswoman Nikki Csek is taking a run at Kelowna City Council in the October election.The founder and CEO of Csek Creative and NowMedia Group, said her campaign isn't the beginning of her service to Kelowna but simply the next way she hopes to serve.She's served on boards, chaired organizations, and volunteere...

The province's fruit industry advocacy group has called for a halt in the current water management approach for local agricultural properties. As of July 13, Greater Vernon Water (GVW) was authorized to shut off water service to agricultural properties that had reached their seasonal water allocation limit.B.C. Fruit G...

The man accused of killing Bailey McCourt is facing another criminal charge.James Plover appeared in court Wednesday on an allegation he breached a no-contact order in Pitt Meadows last September.Plover is already charged with first-degree murder in the death of his estranged wife, who was allegedly attacked with a ham...

The water level at Lake Okanagan has dipped to a new low.The B.C. River Forecast Centre said the daily water level has dropped to its lowest point on record dating back 80 years. The black line indicates the current daily water level for Lake Okanagan, which was at a historic low (Image Credit: B.C. River Forecast Cent...

Kelowna's ranking on the national Crime Severity Index has improved, but Mayor Tom Dyas says the city still has work to do on community safety.The 2025 Crime Severity Index shows Kelowna ranked 20th out of 71 B.C. municipalities with populations above 10,000, and 273rd out of 1,039 municipalities measured across Canada...

It may be a stay-inside kind of summer day in the Okanagan - but not because of the heat.Thick wildfire smoke has settled over the valley, with a special air quality advisory in effect across much of B.C., including the Central Okanagan. Environment Canada says conditions in Kelowna are currently rated moderate, but th...

Wine Growers British Columbia have welcomed the agreement reached by nine provincial Premiers to expand direct-to-consumer alcohol sales across Canada.But they caution that it will not, by itself, create a truly open national market as it would also allow provinces to impose liquor board markups, fees, and other charge...

West Kelowna RCMP are looking for a suspect believed to be connected to three suspicious fires set early Saturday morning.Police say firefighters were called around 4:25 a.m. July 18 after a portable toilet caught fire at a park in the 3100-block of Shannon Lake Road. The flames spread to a nearby structure before bein...

Crime severity in the Kelowna area declined in 2025, according to new Statistics Canada data, but many residents say they still have concerns about public safety.The Kelowna Census Metropolitan Area, which includes Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country and Peachland, ranked ninth highest among Canada's 41 metropolitan ar...

A coordinated search involving RCMP and Kelowna Search and Rescue crews ended with a missing man being found safe late Tuesday night.Search and Rescue said it received a call around 7 p.m. asking for assistance in locating the man in the Sutherland Hills area behind Mission Creek.More than a dozen team members responde...

Police cancelled the Amber Alert issued shortly after midnight Wednesday for a missing West Kelowna boy.At 12:03 p.m. July 22 the RCMP cancelled the alert.Police said multiple tips led to the child being found in Vernon."We would like to thank the public, the media, and our policing partners for their assistance,&...

RCMP have asked for the public's help investigating a home invasion turned homicide.Police believe three suspects, two men and a woman, broke into a home in the 100 block of 4th Street SE around 3 a.m. Friday, July 17.During the home invasion, the suspects got into an altercation with a resident who was shot and later ...

The City of Kelowna is looking for about 300 people to help run the 2026 municipal election this October.Paid positions are available for advance voting days on Oct. 7, 10, 14, 15 and 16, as well as general voting day on Oct. 17.Election workers will help with tasks including registering voters, issuing ballots, suppor...

Vernon and the North Okanagan is getting an infusion of cash to help with responding to emergencies.Through a provincial investment, Vernon's EOC will receive $30,000 for training, tabletop exercises and full-scale exercises to built and test capability.Another $30,000 will go to the Regional District of North Okanagan...

An attempt to set a new world record by swimming the full 106-kilometre length of Okanagan Lake fell short, but the fundraising aspect of the endeavour was still successful.Jessi Harewicz had planned to swim the entire length of the lake from Vernon to Penticton in support of Foundry projects in Vernon, West Kelowna an...

As Canada's premiers meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Charlottetown, B.C.'s wine industry is pushing for changes to internal trade rules it says are making it harder for Canadian businesses to compete.Ron Kubek, owner of Lightning Rock Winery in Summerland, says the recent 50 per cent tariff imposed by the Unite...

The City of Kelowna is reminding residents and visitors to take precautions as a Yellow heat alert remains in effect for the Central Okanagan.The city said people looking to escape the heat can use public facilities during regular operating hours, including recreation and activity centres, as well as local libraries.Ou...

A man has been arrested a year after a fatal incident at the Okanagan Granfondo cycling event in Penticton in July 2025.One cyclist died, and two others were seriously injured when they were struck by a motor vehicle during the event.Following an extensive investigation by Penticton RCMP, Jonathan Crant was arrested Mo...

Another heat warning is in effect for our region, with daytime temperatures expected to reach the mid- to high 30s and overnight lows remaining in the high teens to around 20 C.Environment Canada says the warning remains in effect until Thursday, after which a welcome cooling trend is expected.The forecast calls for a ...

Members of the B.C. Nurses Union are holding a rally in Kelowna, calling on Interior Health to respect nurses participating in legal job action.The rally is scheduled for Monday afternoon near Kelowna General Hospital at the intersection of Pandosy Street and Rose Avenue.BCNU says the event is aimed at supporting nurse...

The City of Kelowna is moving to protect long-term public access along a key section of the waterfront.City council has authorized the start of the expropriation process for the portion of boardwalk in front of Hotel Eldorado, which connects the Cook Road boat launch and Rotary Beach.The boardwalk sits on private prope...

Kelowna RCMP are warning drivers about two preventable problems on local roads: excessive speeding and incomplete vehicle ownership transfers.The RCMP Road Safety Unit said speeding remains a leading factor in fatal crashes across British Columbia. More than 150 vehicles have been impounded in Kelowna this year for exc...