Fire investigators in Chilliwack are sifting through the charred debris of a church as they try to determine what sparked the blaze that gutted the building.
Flames broke out at the Cross Connection Church just before three yesterday afternoon.
A statement from the fire department says 54 firefighters battled the blaze but couldn't save the 75-year-old building.
Chilliwack R-C-M-P said investigators expected to be able to get inside today as they try to determine if the blaze is suspicious or criminal in nature.
The fireworks competition gets underway tomorrow with road closures expected as a result in the West End and neighbouring Kits Point. Tomorrow night's competition will see fireworks displays from a team from Australia.
Mounties say the male suspect brandished a handgun during the robbery then quickly fled the area before officers arrived. Officers say they are actively searching for the suspect described as wearing a blue mask, blue jacket with brown hair and a slim build, clad in a Reebok hoodie that was blue on top and black at the bottom.
Nelson saw the temperature hit 38.2 Celsius yesterday, breaking a record set back in 1938. Elsewhere, temperature records were set in McKenzie, Nakusp, Richmond and Smithers. Heat warnings are in place for the Okanagan, Thompson and Boundary regions.
Police in Nanaimo say a 24-year-old man has died of his injuries after a crash with a suspected impaired driver. Nanaimo R-C-M-P say the crash happened around 10 p-m on Wednesday, and the other driver remains in hospital.
The regional government says reservoir levels remain normal for the season, but water consumption is trending higher than the same time last year. It says water consumption peaked on July 5th with 1.56 billion litres used, even though it wasn't a day designated for watering lawns.
BC Wildfire Service spokesman Cliff Chapman says about 500 international firefighters are already in B.C., boosting the ranks of the more than 2,000 provincial wildfire service personnel on the front lines battling hundreds of blazes.
