Good morning {{First name}}!

I hope you all had a great summer weekend! I spent mine floating down the Cowichan River—a top 10 Island pastime, in my opinion. 

What are your favourite Island spots?

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

Today: ☀ 24 / 14

Tomorrow: ⛅ 23 / 15

Day after: ☀️ 26 / 16

7-day forecast

Lightning storms hit the East and North Island over the weekend, sparking multiple wildfires in the last four days. 

As of 5pm yesterday, 19 wildfires were burning on the Island. Three are considered under control; eight are being held. The other eight are out of control, meaning they are spreading or are expected to spread.

All of the blazes are under 1 ha in size, and they’re burning in areas with low to moderate wildfire risks. 

Five of the wildfires were discovered yesterday, all of which were out of control at the time of reporting. The largest—at 0.5 ha—was discovered Friday near Bonanza Lake, southeast of Port McNeill.

Most of the wildfires are clustered north of Strathcona Provincial Park and were caused by lightning. The only one believed to be human-caused is in Fanny Bay, which is now considered under control.

BC Wildfire Service says the Fanny Bay blaze—which reached 0.5 ha in size—doesn't pose a threat to the public, but smoke "may be visible" near Deep Bay, Bowser, and along Highway 19 and Highway 19A.

"No significant growth was observed overnight, and crews continue to make good progress on containment," BC Wildfire Service said in an update on the Fanny Bay fire yesterday. Updates on the other fires have not been shared yet.

Smoke haze on the Island is expected to slowly lift over the next two days, according to firesmoke.ca.

Missing teen: Oak Bay Police are looking for Jahmai Nathan, 15, who was last seen early morning on Aug. 14. 

Saanich road closure: Wordsworth, today 8am-3pm.

Saanich single-lane, alternating traffic:

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

On the water today? Check the tide times for Victoria.

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BC Hydro crews began laying cable beneath the Gorge Waterway from Banfield Park to Viaduct Park yesterday in support of the Victoria to Esquimalt Cable Replacement Project.

Workers are placing a 660-metre conduit assembly into a pre-excavated underwater trench spanning the Gorge approximately 1.5 metres below the waterway’s sediment surface. 

The conduits will protect the new hydro transmission cables, which will provide electricity between Victoria and Esquimalt. 

The work is part of the project to swap out a corroded underground transmission cable installed in 1980.

BC Hydro said the new cable will meet seismic standards, improve reliability, and help meet a growing power demand. 

“The mobilization is off to a good start,” said Stephen Watson, a BC Hydro spokesman. 

To take advantage of favourable tidal conditions, workers may pull some all-nighters, so—depending on weather—expect construction both day and night.

“There is a possible outcome that could have the Gorge Waterway reopen at the end of day six, or the night of August 22,” Watson said in an email to Capital Daily.

Crane barges and support vessels dot the area in the Gorge, which is usually teeming with paddlers, rowers, and swimmers. No marine traffic or swimming is allowed on the west side of the Selkirk Trestle, 24/7, until Aug. 26.

The Banfield Park dock will remain open, and water enthusiasts are reminded to stay away from the work zone and to continue following navigation routes around it as they have since May. 

Cyclists are reminded of closures northbound and southbound on the Galloping Goose and a 24/7 detour on the Banfield Park Trail until Oct. 15.

Save with Early Bird tickets to Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Nutcracker, accompanied by Victoria Symphony. Experience the beloved winter classic with a Canadian twist, featuring Mounties, polar bears, reindeer, hockey and a battle on Parliament Hill. Nov. 27–29 at the Royal Theatre. Early bird pricing ends Sept. 17.

🤍 Community Memorial: Honour the lives of five Victorians who died from toxic drugs last month at St. John the Divine on Thursday, 1pm. [Info]

📚 Greater Victoria Little Free Library Awards voting is open. 

💐 Evening concerts continue at The Butchart Gardens through September 5, with live performances Wednesday to Sunday evenings bringing music and atmosphere to late‑summer visits.*

💼 Greater Victoria Hiring and Education Expo 2026 is Sept. 10.

*Sponsored Listing

Sooke man owes $1.1M for shooting neighbour in stomach
Anthony Nelson, his wife, Wendy, and the province are owed a combined $1.1M after Paul Tregear was found guilty of trespassing onto the Nelsons' property and shooting Anthony at point-blank range. Tregear was sentenced to  seven years in prison last year; the Nelsons pursued a civil lawsuit for costs incurred from injuries. Anthony is owed $767K for injuries and wage losses; Wendy is to receive $279K for wage losses caused by post-traumatic stress and care costs. The BC government is owed $64K for Anthony and Wendy's medical care under the Health Care Costs Recovery Act. [CHEK]

Hatley Castle to be offered to Royal Roads University under proposed treaty
Treaty negotiations between the Songhees and the provincial and federal governments could see the castle's property returned to the First Nation, who say they would sell it to Royal Roads. The university would only need to pay the land's value. The property is currently leased to the school by the federal government. The Esquimalt Nation is not included in the negotiations and is challenging the transfer of Hatley Castle to the Songhees in court. [Times Colonist] 

Magnitude 4.6 quake not widely felt in Victoria, no tsunami threat
The earthquake’s epicentre was near Kodiak City, Alaska, some 1,800 km from the BC capital. The US Geological Survey said yesterday’s shaker struck at 1:39pm at a depth of 58 km, so few people actually felt it in Alaska. Kodiak City sits on the Aleutian megathrust subduction zone, the source of a lot of the US state’s seismic activity—including a magnitude 8.2 quake that hit in 2021. [CTV]

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🎼 The Naden Band: Hear the Royal Canadian Navy band at Memorial Park tonight. 6-8pm. [Info]

♥️ Speed Dating: Singles aged 40 to 50 can meet and mingle at this mixer at Swans Pub tonight. 7pm. [Info]

🎷 Victoria Jazz Jam: Join other musicians on stage or listen to one of the city's most vibrant musical gatherings at The Coda tomorrow. 6:30pm. [Info]

🎨 End of Summer Paint Party: Cap off your summer with a fun night of painting and drinks at Paul Phillips Hall. Thursday. 6:30-8pm. [Info]

🎵 Fink: The English songwriter will take the stage at Capital Ballroom. Thursday. 8pm. [Info]

🏳️‍🌈 Queer and Trans Farmers Market: The market is back for a third year, featuring 60+ vendors, performances, and fun for all ages at Banfield Park. Saturday. 11am-6pm. [Info]

🌾 Luxton Heritage Festival: Celebrate Langford's agricultural heritage with games, country music, blacksmith demonstrations, and more at Luxton Fairgrounds. Saturday. 11am-4pm. [Info]

Sunday’s headlines: View Royal lowering speed limits as of Friday; Weekly roundup; Dog day afternoon on Dallas. [Aug. 16]

Stroke survivors paddle and power Canada’s first para-dragon boat team. [CHEK]

Victoria's Free Willy mystery: Local author searching for person (or people) who helped two Pedder Bay orcas escape captivity in 1970. [Black Press]

Speed climber cracks 5-second mark at Central Saanich’s Boulders Gym. [Times Colonist]

Police seek witnesses in Aug. 11 bear spray incident at Westshore Town Centre. [RCMP]

Cook construction: Lane closures and traffic delays from Bay to Tolmie through Aug. 21.

Saanich road closure: Goward at Tod Creek. Bridge repair through tomorrow, 7am-5pm.

A Kid Napping: The dark comedy opens at Intrepid Theatre Aug. 27. [Info]

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