Nanaimo R-C-M-P say they have taken over the case involving an explosion that tore apart a home near the downtown core on Sunday night.
Constable Gary O'Brien says police will be checking to see if foul play was involved.
He says crews have managed to remove debris from the site of the flattened home and check the basement and other areas.
The house was vacant when it blew up just before 9 p-m but the force of blast damaged other homes and flying glass injured several people.
A notice on the Peace River Regional District website says the orders covering several properties and sections of two roads near the community of Old Fort have been rescinded.
The firearm has been seized and further work and analysis will be done to determine if there are any connections to any ongoing investigations. Surrey RCMP is working closely with partners at the Surrey School District as well as the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.
Also, 93.4% (4,040,218) of all eligible adults in B.C. have received their first dose, 90.9% (3,929,828) received their second dose and 54.0% (2,335,461) have received a third dose.
Susannah Goshko, the British High Commissioner to Canada, said her country's passage of new sanctions legislation on Thursday will strengthen its ability to target individuals close to President Vladimir Putin if Russian forces put one toe over the Ukraine border.
Avalanche Canada and Parks Canada issued the joint warning that applies from Thursday to Sunday, saying there's a weak layer buried under about 60 centimetres of snow.
A statement from the board says the type of black powder needed to fire the five-kilogram, muzzle-loaded naval cannon is difficult to find in most parts of the world but it will continue to search for alternative stocks.