Top Stories – July 25 – Nohomin Creek Fire

The Nohomin Creek wildfire northwest of Lytton was last estimated at 22-hundred hectares. Steep terrain continues to challenge crews by limiting access to portions of the fire. Helicopters have been used to transport crews to the worksite which reduces travel time and increases crew hours on the fire. The Lytton Ferry is now back in service and also available to take crews across the Fraser River.

The fall local election nomination packages for Kelowna City Council and District 23 School Board are now available through Kelowna’s Office of the City Clerk. Kelowna residents will vote to elect a mayor, eight councillors and four school board trustees on October 15. To be eligible, candidates must be a Canadian citizen, be at least 18 years old on election day and have lived in BC for at least six months. Full details at kelowna.ca/election .

Just a couple of weeks before the 2022 World Junior Hockey Championships are scheduled to begin in Edmonton, RCMP have opened investigations into the 2003 and 2018 teams. They come in the wake of alleged group sexual assaults. Hockey Canada has had its funding suspended by the federal government and several major corporate sponsors.

With temperatures forecast to hit the mid to upper 30s in the Valley this week, all levels of government and fire districts are pleading with residents to be careful. The forest fire danger rating in the area is high, and grass and shrubs along the roads and highways are tinder dry. Smoking, vaping or using open flames or briquette barbeques is not permitted in any city or regional district parks.

Work starts today on Clement Avenue between Ellis and Richter Streets for water main replacement. Motorists can expect delays from 7am to 5:30pm as the south side of Clement will be closed and traffic in both directions will flow on the north side of the median. The city advises drivers to allow a bit of extra time travelling in peak times during construction.

Climate change and human impacts on the land are behind a growing number of encounters between people and polar bears. Although no agency keeps a formal count, reports in all countries suggest that bear run-ins with people are increasing, especially around growing communities and their landfills. Diminishing sea ice robs the bears of the platform they need to hunt seals, forcing them to remain on land and look for other ways to feed themselves, such as landfills.

Pope Francis arrived in Canada yesterday to begin the first visit by a pontiff to the country since 2002. The six-day trip to Edmonton, Quebec City and Iqaluit is billed as one of reconciliation where he will meet with members of the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples. There will be a mass at Commonwealth Stadium tomorrow before he flies to Quebec on Wednesday.

Kelowna fire crews responded to a building fire in the 1800 block of Country Club Drive at the Okanagan Golf Club Saturday afternoon. There were flames coming from a 6th floor back balcony, making it hard to access so they had to break into suites on the 5th and 6th floors as no one was home. No injuries were reported but there was extensive water damage from the sprinkler system to all floors.

Russian defense officials insisted Sunday that an airstrike on the Ukrainian port of Odesa hit only military targets. But the attack tested an agreement on resuming grain shipments that the two countries signed less than a day before. The Ukrainian military said the attack involved four cruise missiles, two of which were shot down by its military.

Sports

The Okanagan Sun kicked off their football season with a big win on the Island. The locals knocked off the host Vancouver Island Raiders in Nanaimo by a 50-19 score. Next up is a game in Langley this weekend against the defending Canadian Junior Football champion Rams.

A Kelowna runner helped Canada win gold in the men’s 4×100 metre relay at the World Track and Field Championships. Jerome Blake was part of the fastest team at the event in Oregon.

In case you missed the game Friday, the Blue Jays set a franchise record for runs scored in a 28-5 win against the Red Sox… at Fenway. And then they took the other two weekend games for a series sweep and hold onto a Wild Card spot.

In France yesterday, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took the chequered flag in the Formula 1 race to beat Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. The teams stay in Europe for another race this coming weekend in Hungary.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson picked up her 12th LPGA Tour win in France at the Evian Championship with a birdie putt on the final hole. She finished at 17 under par, one ahead of American Sophia Schubert.

The Blue Jays are off today following their big weekend in Boston, but when they return to the field tomorrow at Rogers Centre, Buck Martinez will be back in the broadcast booth. The long time Toronto player, manager and broadcaster has been getting treatment for cancer since April.