It is anticipated that the heavy rainfall experienced over the past 48 hours will cause the streamflow in creeks and rivers feeding Nicola Lake to increase and remain high for at least another two weeks.

The public is asked to exercise caution, and prepare for localized flooding as water levels in Nicola Lake, the Nicola River and surrounding streams increase due to rapid snowmelt and recent high temperatures.

The B.C. government is committing up to $5.6 million to partially replace Nicola-Canford Elementary so students can continue to learn in their hometown in the future, instead of travelling to another school every day.

The B.C. government has leased a 2.176-hectare plot of land from the City of Merritt to construct an expanded Merritt Fire Zone office and training centre for the Wildfire Management Branch.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations plans to aerially treat up to 21,400 hectares of forest in the Cascades District to reduce populations of western spruce budworm.

The Thompson Nicola Regional District is receiving $214,040 for the Smith Pioneer Park Upgrade Project, one of the community's only recreation amenities, announced Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development.

Merritt received $13,745 from the wood stove exchange program to encourage residents to trade in their smoky old wood stoves for a high-efficiency model or other clean-burning appliance, Environment Minister Terry Lake announced today.