VANCOUVER - WILDFIRES HAVING BIG IMPACT ON B.C. LOGGING INDUSTRY: MINISTER

Forests Minister Doug Donaldson says British Columbia's wildfire season will have lingering implications for the logging industry.

Fires have burned more than 11,500 square kilometres of land this year and Donaldson said about 53 million cubic metres of timber has been lost.

Short-term plans involve salvaging any wood that can still be sold.

The B.C. Council of Forest Industries said salvaging that usable timber will allow mills to get back to work.

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NO END IN SIGHT FOR LONG, DIFFICULT B.C. FIRE SEASON

The forecast calls for showers across B.C. in the coming days but a fire official says it likely won't end the devastating wildfire season.

Kevin Skrepnek of the BC Wildfire Service said the expected precipitation won't be enough to douse the flames, especially in the southeast, where a number of aggressive fires are burning.

Skrepnek said a long, sustained soaking of rain is needed right across the province.

More than 1,200 wildfires have burned across the province since April 1.

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PROVINCE TO REVIEW MASSEY TUNNEL REPLACEMENT

A $3.5-billion bridge project in Metro Vancouver is being put on hold by the province.

Transportation Minister Claire Trevena said the government wants an independent technical review done to determine the best way to replace the George Massey Tunnel.

The often-congested tunnel connects Richmond and Delta on Highway 99 under the Fraser River.

The review would look at the previous Liberal government's plan for a 10-lane bridge, as well as other options such as a smaller crossing, repairs to the existing tunnel, a twinned tunnel or a combination of those ideas.

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TRUCK DRIVER KILLED IN HIGHWAY CRASH: POLICE

Mounties say one of the two people killed when a dump truck rolled across a busy highway in Coquitlam was the truck's operator.

RCMP said the afternoon rush hour had just started when the dump truck rolled down an incline from a construction site and crossed over the Lougheed Highway, crashing into two vehicles.

A female passenger in one of the vehicles was also killed and four other people were injured in yesterday's incident, which shut down the highway for several hours.

Police say the dump truck as "unoccupied" when it rolled.

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FERRY SENT TO POLAND FOR UPGRADES

One of the two largest ferries taking people between the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island has been removed from service for upgrades.

The Spirit of British Columbia is being converted to run on liquefied natural gas, which BC Ferries said is cheaper and better for the environment than diesel.

The vessel — which was built in 1993 — is expected to be back in service by next spring and other vessels will take over the busy Tsawwassen-to-Swartz Bay run in the meantime.

The work is being done at a shipyard in Poland.

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LIQUOR STORES RAISE THOUSANDS FOR WILDFIRE RELIEF

B.C. Liquor Stores says customers donated more than $417,000 to the Red Cross B.C. Fire Appeal.

The money will go toward helping British Columbians affected by the wildfires burning throughout the province.

Donations were collected over an eight-week period during July and August to support evacuees with emergency food, water and shelter.

Local liquor companies also donated a portion of their proceeds to the Red Cross, raising an additional $69,500.

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(The Canadian Press)

News from © The Canadian Press, 2017