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Health and safety measures for the 2021-22 school year Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Education, announced Tuesday morning how British Columbia students will return to school in 2020-21. There will be full time in person classes starting September. All K-12 staff as well as students in grades 4 and up will be required to wear a mask in indoor spaces. Extracurricular activities like sports art, performing arts, and music will be part of the curriculum. . As of this week, the Minister said 72% of 12- 17 year olds have had their first dose of the vaccine. 57% are fully vaccinated. Other measures to be implemented - Daily health checks, - Attendance management, making sure staff of students don't come to school sick - Hand hygiene - Enhanced cleaning. There have also been upgrades to school ventilation systems province wide over the summer break. Minister Whiteside said $87.5 million has been invested by the Province and Federal Government to specifically improve air quality in schools. The Province has spent according to the Minister 77.5. million to improve air quality in school districts. According to the Minister 44 or BCs 60 school dis have upgraded their HVAC systems, over 1500 public schools in the province and they are all working on their ventilation systems. For example, she said the VSB reports all district schools have upgraded their ventilation systems with MERV 13 filters. In addition, the Province is putting $5 million towards Pandemic related mental health, announced last June Mental health support can be found at the ERASE BC website Colleges and Universities will also have to follow the guidelines Anne Kang, Minister of Advanced Education told reporters people must be vaccinated to live in student housing, to go to a pub, gym, including varsity students, or attend an indoor meeting like joining a choir. Proof of vaccination will also be required for indoor concerts and sporting events People must be vaccinated to live in student housing, to go to a pub, gym, including varsity students, or attend an indoor meeting like joining a choir. Proof of vaccination will also be required for indoor concerts and sporting events Minister Whiteside said now is the time to et vaccinated.

Premier John Horgan announced BC will soon roll out "Vaccine Cards". Starting Monday, September 13th you will not be able to attend indoor non-essential activities without proof you have received at least one dose of a COVID19 vaccine. After October 24th you will need proof you've had two shots of the vaccine. Premier Horgan also told reporters today that Dr. Henry and Minister Dix say it's unlikely the Province will be moving to step 4 of the "restart plan" this September. The Delta variant and an increase in the number of cases, especially in the unvaccinated has led the Government to pause and reflect on what measures the Province can take to protect British Columbians. This latest setback comes even though 3/4 of eligible British Columbians, 12 and above, are fully vaccinated. 82% of British Columbians have had at least one dose of the vaccine. Premier Horgan said today "getting vaccinated is the way forward through this pandemic" Today the Premier announced the plan to initiate a BC Vaccine Card. Non-discretionary activities like ticketed sporting events, indoor concerts, casinos, gyms, indoor weddings, and movies will all require proof of vaccination to attend. Basically, if it's indoors and not "essential" you will likely need proof of vaccination. Faith based services, health care services, grocery stores, or any other service that is deemed essential will not require you to present the new BC Vaccination Card. The cards will begin to roll out from September 13th to Oct 24th. They may be an app on your smartphone or a card for those who cant use that option. Dr. Henry says starting September 13th you will need at least one shot of the vaccine to attend said events, starting October 24th you will need to have had 2 doses. https://news.gov.bc.ca/office-of-the-premier

Travelers planning to take the Coquihalla or other interior routes should be prepared for delays, detours or closures according to drive BC Thanks to wildfires like the White Rock Lake blaze and other fires burning along the Coquihalla and Hope Princeton twenty-six roadways are closed or have significant delays or advisories. That's in addition to scheduled maintenance. Coquihalla travelers between Hope and Merritt will have no access to off ramps, facilities, or washrooms. Crews fighting wildfires near the highway are on the roads so extra caution is important. Wildfire also damaged some fencing along the road so be on the lookout for wildlife. Travel on Highway 3 continues to be slowed by smoke. Highway one is plagued by heavy rainfall and slides. Here's a list. Check Drive BC for the latest road info. Dog Creek Rd - Wildfire closure between Meadow Lake Rd and Gustafsen Dog Creek FSR. Fri Aug 20 Highway 1 - Advisory between 1km west of Spences Bridge to 6 km south of Lytton due to Intermittent Rain Forecast and potential for debris flows. No stopping during rainfall. Sun Aug 22 Highway 3 - Wildfire has advisory in effect from 64 km east of Hope to Princeton due . Road open to traffic. Limited visibility with smoke. Fri Aug 20 Highway 5 - Travel advisory in effect 6 km north of Hope to 1 km south of Merritt due to a wildfire. Essential travel only. No facilities or washrooms are available. No access off the main hwy on off ramps. Watch for crews & enforcement. Watch for debris & wildlife. No stopping on hwy. Please lower speeds & drive with caution. Sun Aug 22. Highway 8 - Wildfire closure 16 km west of Merritt to 15 km east of Spences Bridge. Road closed. Sat Aug 21 Highway 97 - Advisory in effect 13 km west of Falkland to Monte Creek due to a wildfire. Road is open to traffic. No stopping on highway. Wed Aug 18 Soda-Creek Macalister Road - Landslide at 10 kms from the Junction of Highway 97. Road closed. Tue Aug 10 Quesnel Hydraulic Road - Washout at Kilometer 20. The road is closed. Road will be closed at km 20.3 due to ongoing land instability. Aug 10 West Fraser Road - Washout at Narcosli Creek 20 km south of Quesnel. The road is closed. Aug 10 Kersley-Dale Landing Rd - Landslide 500 metres in from Highway 97 Intersection. Road closed. Tue Aug 10 Durrell Road - Landslide at 700m from Highway 97. Road closed. Aug 10 Quesnel-Hixon Road - Landslide at Cottonwood bridge. Road closed. Aug 10 Kinuseo Falls Road - Forest fire closure at Monkman Provincial Park 60 km south of Tumbler Ridge. Road closed. Park is closed. Fri Aug 20 Deadman Vidette Road - Debris on roadway at the area of 28km mark of Deadman Vidette road. Road closed. Aug 17 Quesnel-Hixon Road - Landslide at Cottonwood bridge. Road closed. Aug 10 McKinney Road - Forest fire closure between McKinney Road and Baldy Ski Hill road 1 km north of Rock Creek. The road is closed. Aug 20 Tunkwa Lake Road - Wildfire closure between 3 km south of Highway 1 and Junction with 97D. Road closed. Aug 21 Empire Valley Road - Advisory in effect between Gang Ranch road and End of Empire Valley Road. Due to a Wildfire. Road is Open to LOCAL TRAFFIC ONLY. Aug 19 Coldwater Rd - Wildfire closure between Exit 256 and Brookmere. Aug 22 Westside Rd - Wildfire closure between Deighton Rd and Highway 97 North for 40.6 km (19 to 60 km east of West Kelowna). Road closed. Aug 20 Highway 1 - Heavy rain between Back Valley Rd and Juniper Beach Prov Park Access Rd (2 km east of Cache Creek). Potential for debris flows. No stopping during rainfall. Plan for highway closure in event of heavy rain. Sun Aug 22 Highway 3 - Limited visibility with smoke between Saturday Creek and Copper Mountain Rd for 21.1 km (Princeton). Aug 4 Highway 3 - Limited visibility with smoke between Princeton and Hedley. Jul 30 Highway 97 - Landslide between Pollard Rd and Umiti Pit Rd for 3.8 km (11 to 15 km north of Quesnel). Road is open to traffic, possible 20 minute delays. Aug 22 Highway 99 - Heavy rain between 50 to 70 km north of Lillooet. Potential for debris flows. No stopping during rainfall. Aug 22 Nazko Rd - Washout between Krestenuk Rd and Centennial Park Rd for 4.6 km (Nazko). Single lane alternating traffic. Sun Aug 22

Ewing, Killiney and the OKIB were hit hard by the White Rock Lake fire. The wildfire roared down the mountainside adjacent to the lakefront communities taking approx. 100 homes. The wildfire had been creeping closer to the area for two weeks. Despite efforts by all involved the fire continued to creep towards the northwestern shores of Okanagan Lake. Evacuation orders and alerts were put in place. At the mercy of the wind and sun, all residents could do was pack up what was most valuable to them, and wait. For those on evacuation alert, the smoke and visible flames were a constant reminder. Local Fire Departments assisted by Wildfire Service the RCMP, Security teams plus Search and Rescue patrolled the area doing what they could. August 15-16th the White Rock Lake fire reached the OK Indian Band, Killiney, and Ewing. OKIB = Okanagan Indian Band RDNO = Regional District North Okanagan RDCO = Regional District South Okanagan White Rock fire vs Ewing, Killiney, and OKIB. An Unofficial Timeline July 27th the number of firefighters reported on hand at the White Rock Lake fire was 117 Firefighters (Including 100 from Quebec), 10 danger tree Assessors/Fallers, 36 pieces of heavy equipment, and 35 support staff (Including an Incident Management team) with more equipment and staff on the way. July 27, 1800 hrs. First OKIB Evacuation Alert - White Rock Lake Fire at 17,096 Hectares. East front of the Fire facing OKIB heading North. Crews building Bouleau Lake Fire Guard. - July 30th, the temperature in the upper 30s, possible lightning in forecast, possible 20mm rain. - Aug 1 White Rock fire at 32,000 hectares August 1st 16:32 OKIB issue Evacuation Order for Whiteman Creek drainage, south of the Mud Hole, including Parker Cove and Whiteman subdivision - Aug 3, the fire is estimated to be 12.5 km from OKIB Southern reserve boundary near Whitemans Aug 4, 2000, hrs. the OKIB expands the Evacuation Order to include North end Smith Cres, Westside Rd./Mud Hole Rd. - August 5th The White Rock Lake fire jumped highway 97 on August 5th at Monte Lake. August 5th 0900 hrs. OKIB expands Evacuation Orders to include Westside Rd. and Louis Estates (northern boundary) to 11501 Komasket Rd. (southern boundary) August 5th 1200 hrs OKIB issues an Evacuation Alert for the following areas: Highway 97 and Tonasket Rd (southern boundary) to the OKIB IR 1 and Splatsin Salmon River IR 1 boundary (northern boundary), westward to the OKIB Reserve boundary. - August 6th the White Rock Lake Fire was expected to reach Whiteman’s area that evening. So far no buildings lost. - At this point approximately 1,050 OKIB members were evacuated in addition to several hundred people south of the reserve and hundreds of people in the Monte Lake-Falkland area. August 6th 1030hrs Evacuation Order issued by RDCO for Killiney and Ewing. August 6th 1500hrs OKIB expanded an Evacuation Alert, all areas within IR 1, basically the north shore of Okanagan Lake and adjacent land, that were not under an Evacuation Order, were put on Evacuation Alert. August 6th 1900hrs OKIB expanded Evacuation Order to the following areas, Head of the Lake Rd, Westside Road August 6th, Vernon City issues a Partial Evacuation Alert August 7th, Vernon City Rescinded August 7 Evacuation Alert. Excluded, Canadian Lakeview Estates in its entirety, Adventure Bay in its entirety, and west end of Tronson Road - August 8, White Rock Lake fire is estimated at 55,600 Hectares and is out of control August 8th, 1600 hrs. OKIB Evacuation Order Rescind August 9th RDNO issues an Evacuation Order for Valley of the Sun Evac Order August 15th, Federal Election Called August 15th OKIB 1630hrs expands an Evacuation Order into the following areas, approx. Westside Road 12000 blk. - August 15, 20:10 Hours fire rapidly advancing and is around the Churchill lake area - August 15-16th The White Rock Lake fire reached the OK Indian Band, Killiney and Ewing. Approximately 100 buildings were destroyed or damaged. - Aug 16 it rains a little August 17th 1700hrs OKIB Evacuation Order Rescinded Areas north of Louis Estates have been partially rescinded up to Coyote Crossing Desert Cove Lawrence Heights and Head of the Lake Rd 137 and Antoine Road area August 17, 17:23 hrs. RDNO - This Evacuation Order REMAINS IN PLACE and unchanged since it was issued on August 15. This Order is based on the recommendation of the BC Wildfire Service due to the White Rock Lake Wildfire. - August 19 White Rock Lake fire update estimated at 81,139 hectares

Unofficially the number of homes lost in the communities of Ewing and Killiney, across Okanagan Lake from Vernon BC, hovers around 70. Nearby the Okanagan Indian Band also lost homes but once again there are no official numbers. Some evacuation orders remain in place for the area. Cooler weather and light rain have slowed the massive White Rock Lake fire for now. The weather conditions are expected to remain that way for the next few days. There have been no reports of injuries.

Hundreds of people are checking out a video taken last Tuesday showing the west side of the north end of Okanagan lake trying to see if their home is still standing. Since the White Rock Lake fire roared through the region earlier this week much of the area has been off limits to residents living along Westside Road. This video was taken during a brief clearing of the smoke last Tuesday. Smoke was still present over the area making clear shots of some of the shoreline and buildings on the nearby slope hard to see.

Monte Lake aftermath Sunday August 15th. Driving through the tiny community of Monte Creek shows the level of devastation. Emergency personal are still on scene. Many driveways go into empty blackened properties, where homes and other buildings once stood before being destroyed by the wildfire.

Coquihalla Sunday 15th Aug at noon driving south. This is south of Larson Hill. Coquihalla Wildfire Sunday Just Hours before Highway Closed

Truck Fire on Coquihalla, Just Hours before Highway Closed. South of the Great Bear Snowshed around noon.

https://youtu.be/rluwbwLTFOQ The skys are filled with smoke. When I look out my window the sky looks real orange. Once outside it slowly looks less and less orange. Im pretty sure I know what's happening, my brain is adjusting so colours appear more normal. An automatic filter. So my experiment. On my phone I set the colour balance to manual. I took three pictures.. The first was set to 10k, the second to 56k, the 3rd 3200k. I chose those setting from experience. They are standard settings to get good colour in 3 different lighting condition. 10k for cloudy days, 56k for sunny days and 3200 for indoor incandescent light. So I say, assuming the weather app I have says there are no cloud "up there" just smoke that in normal sunny conditions 56k should give true colour. But if you look at pic 2,56k everything is orange. I say that's what the sky looks like before your brain does some fancy correction. What do you say

After you watch my video check these 2 excellent links PHOTOS HISTORY

This is the Hells gate tunnel... north end... completed 1960... its only a couple hundred meters south of the Ferabee tunnel that was completed in 1964... This is one of my favorite older sections... Just a little to the west is the old tunnel... Lots of debris in the tunnel today... doesn't look too safe. At Hells Gate, the canyon walls rise about 1,000 metres.... the Hells Gate Cable ride was started in the early 1970's... There are 7 automobile tunnels in the Fraser Canyon.. they are Yale 1963, Saddle Rock 1958, Sailor Bar 1959, Alexandra 1964, Hell's Gate 1960, Ferrabee 1964 and China Bar 1961. Here are two excellent links PHOTOS HISTORY