IHA answers questions regarding Lemon Creek spill
Interior Heath today issued a release answering frequently-asked questions: Q: Why did Interior Health lift the Do Not Use water orders? A: Interior Health’s Medical Health Officer lifted the orders after careful review of the testing that was done on each section of the Kootenay and Slocan rivers by the consultants handling...
Winlaw Fire Department back on the job
Cooler heads have prevailed as members of the Winlaw Fire Department returned to active duty following a meeting with the Regional District of Central Kootenay. During the meeting, held Thursday, a decision was made to halt the proposed disciplinary suspension of the Winlaw Fire Chief Jon Wollenberg. The suspension has been revoked and the matter […]
Lightning activity sparks multiple fires
The Wildfire Management Branch responded to 40 lightning-caused wildfires in the Southeast Fire Centre over the weekend. The majority of these fires are small and none are threatening structures or communities. In the most active part of the fire centre, the Columbia Fire Zone, 16 wildfires are burning. All of them are small,...
Gone batty?
The Kootenay Community Bat Project (KCBP) has received numerous calls from residents of the area who have found a bat on the ground, had a bat fly into the house, or have a bat roosting in an unusual location. “This is the time of year when the juvenile bats are learning to fly and their not very good at it” says Juliet Craig,...
RDCK shows off new firefighting equipment
A powerful new firefighting tool that can protect structures throughout the region in the event of wildfire. Thursday, Regional District of Central Kootenay unveiled the new piece of equipment for the area. “The Structural Protection Unit (SPU) is a very cost effective means of providing protection to both homes and infrastructure, such as water systems, […]
Keep Jumbo Wild protesters continue to keep machinery out of glacier resort
The temperature plummets to near zero on the thermometer when the sun sets and 22 Celsius in the middle of the day. However, a little cold weather isn’t about to stop a group of protesters set against any development at the Jumbo Glacier Resort in southeastern B.C from keeping machinery off the mountain. “We’re here […]
Shambhala brings another laundry list of arrests and charges
The year's Shambhala festival brought with it the usual dog's breakfast of drugs, alcohol, mental health and nuisance calls, according to RCMP Cpl. Riordan Bellman. "The Salmo Detachment responded to over 40 calls of service relating to the festival," he said. "There were 14 prisoners, and one had to be taken to hospital as...
Woman dies in Winlaw crash
A woman has died in Winlaw after an accident last night, according to West Kootenay Traffic Services Cpl. John Ferguson. "On Aug. 14 at 11:08 p.m. the Slocan RCMP and the West Kootenay Traffic Services attended the 5900 block of Highway 6, Winlaw on a pedestrian fatality," Ferguson said. "Investigation has revealed that...
LETTER: Winlaw fire chief speaks to disciplinary action; mass resignation
To Whom it may concern. The Winlaw Fire Department is a volunteer group that has come together to help their community in the event of an emergency. We were recently asked by the Regional Fire Chief to provide traffic control for a nonemergency community event, I refused. Disciplinary action has now being taken against me for...
IHA says Slocan residents should be wary of water
Despite the Interior Health Authority's all-clear for water use in the Slocan Valley, they are urging residents to use discretion in deciding what is, and is not, safe and to avoid any water with visible or detectable deposits of jet fuel. Dr. Andrew Larder, senior medical health officer with IHA, said lifting the Do Not Use...
