Wildfire near Sayward, B.C., remains out of control, but officials say progress being made
British Columbia wildfire officials say crews are making progress in their efforts to suppress a large forest fire on northern Vancouver Island, though the 160-hectare blaze was still burning out of control Thursday.
The B.C. Wildfire Service says the Newcastle Creek fire, which was first reported to officials Monday afternoon, remains approximately five kilometres from the village of Sayward and its roughly 300 residents.
Two helicopters and 60 firefighters continued to battle the blaze Thursday.
The fire has grown from approximately 15 hectares when it was first reported to 90 hectares by nightfall Monday.
On Wednesday afternoon, wildfire officials said they were able to more accurately map the fire area from the sky as smoke conditions eased, revealing the fire to be approximately 160 hectares, where it held Thursday.
The wildfire service has not recommended evacuations for Sayward, where the mayor said Wednesday village officials have a "strong plan in place" should the fire conditions worsen.
The provincial wildfire agency says 57 fires were actively burning in the province Thursday, with 12 fires considered out of control.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.