Hundreds of sea lions have taken over a beach in #DeepBay and it’s quite the show! Locals say they’ve never seen anything like it. @cheknews.ca

Beautiful evening in #PortAlberni, but pretty shocking to see how little snow there is on Mount Arrowsmith this winter. @cheknews.ca

There's been a major landslide near #PortHardy which has closed #Holberg Road. Looks like tons of mud and trees came down a mountain across the road also knocking out power. #442Squadron rescued several people last night. @cheknews.ca Credit: @BCHydro Jeremy Buerge #bcstorm

Lots of lightning near #Courtenay and #CampbellRiver this morning. Potential for new fire starts but nothing showing up ⁦‪@BCGovFireInfo‬⁩ yet. ⁦‪@cheknews.ca

#MountUnderwood wildfire near #PortAlberni is now 3400 ha big and still out of control. Helicopters are fighting the fire in strong winds. Officials say the city is not as risk at this time. @cheknews.ca

This massive #pyrocumulous cloud is towering over #PortAlberni right now. A result of the Mount Underwood wildfire burning out of control just south of the city. @cheknews.ca

This is the smoke and ash filled sky south of #PortAlberni near the Mount Underwood fire. Ash is falling from the sky. ⁦‪@CHEK_News‬⁩

The Mount Underwood fire is now 859 ha big and out of control but burning away from #PortAlberni @cheknews.ca

The fire is now 630 ha quickly eclipsing the size of the Wesley Ridge fire in just a matter of hours. Looks like it’s behaving much more like a fire in the BC interior. @cheknews.ca

I’ve just been in touch with Wayne Coulson of Coulson Aviation and he confirms to me that they have just been dispatched to fight the Mount Underwood fire tonight with one of their choppers that has nighttime capabilities. @cheknews.ca

.@BCGovFireInfo says the China Creek fire south of #PortAlberni has quickly grown to 100 ha. The China Creek campground has apparently been evacuated. If anyone can confirm that for me I’d appreciate it. @cheknews.ca

The fire danger rating in #PortAlberni is "extreme" and the temperature hit 37°this afternoon just before the fire started. The cause is "under investigation." @cheknews.ca

A new wildfire is burning out of control south of #PortAlberni near China Creek. It has quickly grown to 50ha and appears to be exploding in size and can be seen from #CampbellRiver and the mainland. @cheknews.ca credit: Jerry Fevens

Devastating fire near #Merville north of #Courtenay this evening. @OysterRiverFire and @CourtenayFire battled the flames but the house is destroyed. Three people escaped. 2 pets unaccounted for. Fire video credit: Leanne Howes @cheknews.ca

Great morning to be covering the @CFSnowbirds at 19Wing #Comox @cheknews.ca

A large 30 foot deceased juvenile Gray Whale has washed up on Long Beach near #Tofino. Fisheries and Oceans scientists will be doing a necropsy in the coming days to determine why it died. ⁦‪@CHEKNews

Near the water this evening? You might see a waterspout. @cheknews.ca #bcstorm

Brutal driving conditions this afternoon near #Cumberland on Hwy 19. Very localized but heavy hail. Two vehicles went off the road, one person injured. @cheknews.ca #bcstorm

Well it happened. The @CoulsonAviation #philippinemars has left Sproat Lake #PortAlberni and is now headed down the coast to #SanFrancisco. Over 10,000 people watching on Flightradar24 says it all. @cheknews.ca

#Woss getting hammered too tonight. Careful if you're heading out on Hwy 19. #bcstorm @cheknews.ca @DriveBC

Rare snow on the ground tonight at the #Tofino #Ucluelet Hwy4 Junction. @cheknews.ca #bcstorm

Not sure I'd want to be driving west of #PortAberni to #Tofino #Ucluelet tonight. This is Hwy4 near the Taylor River rest area. @cheknews.ca @DriveBC #bcstorm

I shot these aerials in #TelegraphCove in June. It's such a gem of a place. Sadly, it appears all of these buildings were destroyed by the fire this morning. Even the big blue house on the hill. @CHEK_News

#TelegraphCoveFire Credit: Alan Hunt, #AlertBay Fire Department. @cheknews.ca

This is up close video from #AlertBay firefighters as they arrive by boat for mutual aid then begin working the fire in historic #TelegraphCove. Credit: Alan Hunt. More @cheknews.ca

This is the destruction in #TelegraphCove after this morning's fire. Credit to Matt Oakheart for the video. He says the Whale Interpretive Centre, Prince of Whales, Tide Rip and Killer Whale cafe are all gone. Firefighters from as far as #AlertBay responded. More @cheknews.ca

Breaking News in #TelegraphCove. A major fire is burning on the historic boardwalk. At least the museum and restaurant have been destroyed and part of the boardwalk has collapsed. Firefighters from #PortMcNeill and #PortHardy are battling the flames. @cheknews.ca Credit: PM Fire

For Martin Mars water bomber fans in Greater #Victoria, a piston and cylinder have been fixed on the #Philippine Mars and I’ve been told another attempt to fly to #SanFrancisco could happen Saturday. (This video was last week at Sproat Lake.) @cheknews.ca

Unfortunately engine 2 had an oil pressure problem over #Nanaimo and they turned back to #PortAlberni. Same engine they’ve been having issues with leading up to today. They’ll be bringing up another engine from the Martin Mars. At least another week before trying again. @CHEK_News

#PhilippineMars is now taxiing down #SproatLake #PortAlberni for final takeoff. @cheknews.ca

Sometimes you just need a little boost. @cheknews.ca

Pilot Peter Killin getting ready for the final flight of the #PhilippineMars water bomber leaving Sproat Lake #PortAlberni for the last time today after 64 years. Headed to @pimaair in #Arizona. @cheknews.ca

Sad news the report. The missing #Courtenay man, Wayne Jardine was found deceased this afternoon near Cook Creek and Hwy 19 where his car was found earlier today. His heartbroken daughter says on Facebook "Thank you to everyone, we can stop searching." @cheknews.ca

Update: the missing man’s vehicle has been found in the area of Cook Creek and Hwy 19. Searchers using a UTV found it late this morning. SAR teams have now converged on this area to commence a ground search for the 76 year old. @cheknews.ca

There’s a search underway this hour for a missing 76 year-old man in the #ComoxValley. His car broke down, cell phone died and he’s in a confused state. @ComoxValleySAR has teams on the ground. @cheknews.ca

First Flight since 2007: Philippine Mars lifts off #SproatLake #PortAlberni for a short, low flight today as crews prepare the former Coulson Aviation waterbomber for its final move to the the Pima Air and Space Museum in #TucsonArizona @cheknews.ca Credit: Nancy Harvey

After big November snowfalls ⁦‪@MountWashington‬⁩ is opening early this weekend for the first time in 8 years. Alpine & Nordic. It’s a “sneak peak” only Sat/Sun. 258cm base mid Mnt. Official opening still Dec 13. @cheknews.ca‬⁩ #snow #ski #snowboarding

Met a @CHEKNews fan today.

Injured snowboarder has been airlifted off Mount Allen Brooks ending a 17+ hour operation by ⁦‪@ComoxValleySAR‬⁩ to rescue her. ⁦‪@CHEKNews

Ambulance is here for the injured snowboarder. Helicopter crew with ⁦‪@ComoxValleySAR‬⁩ is now preparing for a long line rescue. @CHEKNews

Clear skies have greeted @ComoxValleySAR this morning. Helicopter has just arrived, and they’ll be able to fly out the snowboard victim shortly. @CHEKNews

.@ComoxValleySAR is launching a rescue now for an injured snowboarder on Mount Allan Brooks in Strathcona Park. Manager Paul Berry says they'll ski out to the victim which will take hours, stay with them overnight. Hope to airlift victim out in the morning. @cheknews.bsky.social

Never seen so much snow ⁦‪@MountWashington‬⁩ in November. Coming down hard again today and have never seen this machine cutting back the snow banks this early. #bcstorm @cheknews.bsky.social

#BCHydro is doing a commendable job get service restored for so many people after the bomb cyclone hit Tuesday. At the peak there were 150,000 w/o power on VI. It's been pretty miserable since then and another storm is hitting later today. @cheknews.bsky.social #bcstorm

SD72 officials tell me the school will be closed Monday as well. #CampbellRiver @cheknews.bsky.social

#CampbellRiver Carihi High School is closed today after overnight fire. Credit: Gord Kurbis @cameraguygord.bsky.social @cheknews.bsky.social

Meanwhile Mount Washington has received about a metre of snow in the last two days. #bcstorm @cheknews.bsky.social

It’s high tide in #Courtenay and the storm surge is causing localized flooding along the #Courtenay river. #bcstorm ⁦‪@cheknews

Small plane at the #Courtenay Airpark flipped over by the wind. #bcstorm @cheknews.bsky.social