Today in BC

The City of Kimberley and outlying areas are on evacuation alert due to wildfires burning roughly 15 kilometres the west of the municipality. The evacuation alert, issued late July 19, covers the entire city, including the ski hill, as well as 66 properties in Area E west in the St. Mary’s Lake region.

The City of Enderby is marking Drowning Prevention Week at a time when drownings in regional waters are stacking up. Enderby council declared July 19 to 25 as National Drowning Prevention Week in the city. It’s a Canada-wide initiative dedicated to raising awareness about water safety, reducing drowning incidents, and promoting lifesaving education and skills.

What an eve. The 40th anniversary Midsummer’s Eve of Arts – a major fundraiser for the Vernon Public Art Gallery (VPAG) – was an unmitigated success. The milestone celebration – held Wednesday, July 15, at the Coldstream Community Hall – raised more than $115,000, marking a fourth consecutive record-breaking year, and bringing together supporters of the arts for a memorable evening of philanthropy and community celebration.

Daily FIFA World Cup soccer match updates and news for Black Press Media publications. Argentina will face Spain in the World Cup championship match today (July 19) at New Jersey Stadium. The game will be refereed by Slovenian Slavko Vinčić, who will be the first Slovenian to referee a World Cup final. “So, first of all, a shock. Then happiness. I was shaking, so it’s an incredible honour to get the World Cup final,” he said.

As North Okanagan water shortages persist amid a historic drought, the City of Vernon has been given approval from the province to use reclaimed water for a small set of purposes, including urban tree watering and street cleaning. And the city now has bigger ideas regarding how to maximize the potential of reclaimed water to alleviate the water shortage crisis.

QUIZ: A salute to Canadian music Published 5:20 am Sunday, July 19, 2026 Canada has a rich and vibrant musical environment. This country is home to many noted musicians, innovative composers, iconic performers and legendary music festivals. How much do you know about Canada’s music scene? Put your knowledge to the test with these 10 questions. Good luck. Email newsletter signup

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) has issued an evacuation alert in response to the Pear Lake wildfire, burning southwest of Clinton. The evacuation alert is in effect for approximately 39 addressed properties in Electoral Area “E” (Bonaparte Plateau). The impacted areas include 6421 to 6977 Jesmond Road and 1093 to 1996 Pavilion-Clinton Road.

A church group was in the right place at the right time on Saturday (July 18) in Lake Country, saving a man and his daughter from drowning on Wood Lake. ​According to witnesses, the incident took place around noon on July 18, shortly after the father of a young girl went into the water to help his daughter, who had fallen off her flotation device at Beasley Park.

Three properties are now on an evacuation order due to the French Bar Creek wildfire in the south Cariboo, while the evacuation alert area has also been expanded. The Thompson-Nicola Regional District issued the expanded alert and order due to immediate danger to life safety caused by the wildfire, which is 5,867 hectares in size as of Saturday afternoon. The evacuation order is in place for two addressed properties and one unaddressed property in Electoral Area E (Bonaparte Plateau).

One of Canada’s oldest triathlons is officially underway in Penticton. A record number of participants are in the city this weekend for the 43rd Peach Classic Penticton Triathlon, which kicked off with 157 men and 164 women competing in the sprint category on Saturday morning, July 18. The standard, aquabike, aquathlon, and super sprint races go on Sunday. In total, more than 1,000 people have registered to compete over the two days. That’s up from the 780 who raced in the event in 2025.