Scott Tibballs

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Brad Bowen (third from right) will be retiring from the Sparwood council at the 2022 municipal elections. (Courtesy of District of Sparwood)

Brad Bowen to retire from Sparwood council

Bowen has served on the council since 2014

Brad Bowen (third from right) will be retiring from the Sparwood council at the 2022 municipal elections. (Courtesy of District of Sparwood)
Structure protection teams in Sparwood conducting practice drills to test for efficiencies. (Image courtesy of BC Wildfire Service)

Contingency planning around Sparwood continues as Cummings Creek fire burns on

The wildfire has seen some growth, but is mostly burning within the fire perimetre

Structure protection teams in Sparwood conducting practice drills to test for efficiencies. (Image courtesy of BC Wildfire Service)
Ange Qualizza speaking at UBCM. (Image courtesy of Ange Qualizza)

Fernie mayor unopposed in bid to be First VP at UBCM

Qualizza is the one candidate for the UBCM executive position, with elections in September

Ange Qualizza speaking at UBCM. (Image courtesy of Ange Qualizza)
TMARS have had a mother of nine new kittens come into their care in the last few days. (Image courtesy of TMARS)

Elk Valley’s local animal rescue call out for help

TMARS have had a late influx of kittens that need homes to go to

TMARS have had a mother of nine new kittens come into their care in the last few days. (Image courtesy of TMARS)
A screenshot of Fernie air quality at 3:16 pm on August 11, 2022. (Image courtesy of Purple Air Network)

Fernie local tracking Elk Valley air quality

Ashlee Jollymore has installed an air quality monitor in her backyard

A screenshot of Fernie air quality at 3:16 pm on August 11, 2022. (Image courtesy of Purple Air Network)
British Columbia’s Attorney General David Eby speaks to reporters in Vancouver on June 15, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Rich Lam

Opinion: Hurry up with the party leadership races

The Free Press Editor Scott Tibballs shakes a fist at the nebulous and slow leadership process in Canadian politics

British Columbia’s Attorney General David Eby speaks to reporters in Vancouver on June 15, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Rich Lam
Spencer Gough is running for Fernie council in October 2022. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Spencer Gough to run for Fernie council

A gymnastics coach, Gough has lived in Fernie full-time for the last five years

Spencer Gough is running for Fernie council in October 2022. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
The Three Sisters in Fernie partially obscured by wildfire smoke in the 2021 summer wildfire season in B.C. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Environment Canada warns of reduced air quality in Elk Valley

Three wildfires of note are burning in East Kootenay

The Three Sisters in Fernie partially obscured by wildfire smoke in the 2021 summer wildfire season in B.C. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
The Fernie Fire Department’s former home. (Soranne Floarea/ The Free Press)

Fernie signs new collective agreement with firefighter union

Career firefighters in Fernie will be getting 2.5 percent wage increase for three years

The Fernie Fire Department’s former home. (Soranne Floarea/ The Free Press)
Thomas McDonald is running for Area A director with the RDEK in October. Pictured on his Cokato farm in August. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Thomas McDonald to run for Area A director

Area A encompasses all of the Elk Valley outside the three municipalities

Thomas McDonald is running for Area A director with the RDEK in October. Pictured on his Cokato farm in August. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
The (former) sani dump in Fernie was closed at the end of summer ‘21. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Fernie’s temporary sani dump plans get flushed

City council rejected a temporary sani-dump solution, objecting to the pricetag

The (former) sani dump in Fernie was closed at the end of summer ‘21. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Image of the Cummings Creek wildfire of note, taken by BC Wildfire Service on August 7. (Image courtesy of BC Wildfire Service)

Sparwood gets update on Cummings Creek wildfire activity

The fire is burning aggressively at night, and efforts will be made to slow it from crossing Cummings Creek

Image of the Cummings Creek wildfire of note, taken by BC Wildfire Service on August 7. (Image courtesy of BC Wildfire Service)
Future site of the Lubers Express Oil Change business in Fernie. It has been under a stop-work order since September 2021. Pictured in July 2022 (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Long-delayed Fernie lube business to move ahead again

The business had its site hit by a stop-work order in September 2021

Future site of the Lubers Express Oil Change business in Fernie. It has been under a stop-work order since September 2021. Pictured in July 2022 (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
A map of the restricted area around the Cummings Creek fire to the west of Sparwood. A link to a higher-resolution map is in the story below. (Image courtesy of BC Wildfire Service)

Area restriction applied to Cummings Creek fire near Sparwood

The is burning in steep terrain 5km west of Sparwood

A map of the restricted area around the Cummings Creek fire to the west of Sparwood. A link to a higher-resolution map is in the story below. (Image courtesy of BC Wildfire Service)
Image of the Cummings Creek wildfire of note, taken by BC Wildfire Service on August 7. (Image courtesy of BC Wildfire Service)

Cummings Creek wildfire under close watch

The fire may be helicopter bucketed by the BC Wildfire Service depending on conditions

Image of the Cummings Creek wildfire of note, taken by BC Wildfire Service on August 7. (Image courtesy of BC Wildfire Service)
Aggressive fire activity photographed on August 8 by the BC Wildfire Service. (Image courtesy of BC Wildfire Service)

Area restriction applied to Weasel Creek wildfire

The fire burned over the border on August 4

Aggressive fire activity photographed on August 8 by the BC Wildfire Service. (Image courtesy of BC Wildfire Service)
Electric vehicle charging stations at the Fraser Valley Regional District building in Chilliwack in February 2022. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress)

Fernie’s municipal fleet electrification push held back by auto industry delays

The city is on a years-long waitlist for two electric SUVs

Electric vehicle charging stations at the Fraser Valley Regional District building in Chilliwack in February 2022. (Paul Henderson/ Chilliwack Progress)
Images of Hartley Creek Rd rutted out over summer. (Image courtesy of Rebecca Vaughan)

Hartley Creek Rd a danger in all seasons: Local resident

A resident of Hartley Creek Rd has put together a report detailing solutions for Hartley Creek Rd

Images of Hartley Creek Rd rutted out over summer. (Image courtesy of Rebecca Vaughan)
Image of the Cummings Creek wildfire of note, taken by BC Wildfire Service on August 7. (Image courtesy of BC Wildfire Service)

Two fires of note in Elk Valley area

The Cummings Creek and Weasel Creek wildfires are being monitored

Image of the Cummings Creek wildfire of note, taken by BC Wildfire Service on August 7. (Image courtesy of BC Wildfire Service)
Iain Davidson (left) with Andy MacFarlane. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Fernie local recognised for life-saving actions

Iain Davidson performed CPR on Andy MacFarlane in 2021, helping save his life before paramedics arrived

Iain Davidson (left) with Andy MacFarlane. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)