July 2
Fire department busy as huge storm rolls over Cranbrook
A huge storm on June 29 kept dispatch and firefighters busy at the Cranbrook Fire & Emergency Services. In Cranbrook, a total of five calls for assistance were received including a lightning-caused structure fire on Innis Avenue near Confederation Park. Crews responded and were able to contain the fire to the attic of the building. The occupant of the building was not home at the time, so there were no injuries.
July 6
Fires heat up East Kootenay region
Crews were battling a blaze out in the Baynes Lake area which had
forced evacuation orders and alerts over the past . Discovered on Saturday, the fire quickly developed into 200-hectare in size, before crews, including 25 firefighters, aircraft and multiple pieces of heavy machinery, went to work.
July 7
Cranbrook wins best municipal float at Stampede
The new Sweethearts impressed the judges with their 50 Years of Heart theme and historical knowledge, winning the best municipal float in the Calgary Stampede parade on July 4.
July 9
June temps smash weather records
The high June temperatures were the hottest ever recorded in Cranbrook, and the temperature on June 28 broke the previous record fro June from 1987.
July 13
Car theft suspects arrested after manhunt
Two suspects were arrested at the Cranbrook Husky on July 11, following a manhunt that began in the area July 10, after a series of vehicle thefts and aggressive driving in the stolen vehicles.
July 15
New City policy pulls plug on proclamations
The City of Cranbrook will soon be doing away with proclamations. At the July 13 meeting, council gave city staff the go ahead to prepare a Proclamation Policy in which the city does not make any official proclamations.
July 17
City goes into water conservation mode
The City of Cranbrook undertook voluntary watering restrictions and invited the public to join in. The City also discontinued watering the green spaces and specified parks.
July 21
Police seize loaded gun from drunk man
Kimberley RCMP seized a loaded 38 calibre handgun on July 18. Shortly after midnight police received a report of an intoxicated man on Jim Ogilvie Way in Kimberley. Police attended and arrested the man drunk in public and lodged him in cells as he was unable to care for himself. While searching a back pack for ID and liquor police located the loaded handgun.
July 22
Airport gets $1 million to 'enhance safety'
The Canadian Rockies International Airport would receive a new upgraded airfield and runway lighting system, and improvements to other systems, after a grant of more than $1 million.
July 23
Nelson issuing voter challenge to Kootenays
The City of Nelson put forward a friendly challenge to other municipalities in hopes of seeing increased voter turnout in the upcoming federal election. The Kootenay Community Voter Challenge would see which municipality could increase the percentage of their voter turnout compared to the last election in 2011.
July 24
Fire Hall for sale
The City of Cranbrook put the old fire hall on the market for $349,000.
July 28
Severe drought ongoing in BC and East Kootenay
Drought conditions were set to continue, with warm weather returning to the East Kootenay. While Cranbrook and area received 6.6 mm of rain over the previous weekend, which had made conditions better, the precipitation numbers were far below normal.
July 30
Local courses get national attention
Local golf geography drew a lot of attention from Canada's premier golf media outlet. ScoreGolf TV focused on the Cranbrook and Kimberley area as part of its "tour of BC." Episdes featuring local courses and communities aired on TSN and ScoreGolf TV.
July 31
Cougars spotted in Park Royal vicinity
Over the course of the summer there were a number of cougar sightings around the city, notably around Park Royal. According to the Wildlife Alert Reporting Program on the WildSafeBC website, there were cougar sightings on July 17 and on July 21 near Mount Royal.
Aug. 5
Bugle Band takes 1st at Billy Barker Days
After touring around the province for seven days in July, the Cranbrook Bugle Band returned with a win following their performance at Billy Barker Days in Quesnel.
Aug. 6
Youth in custody; drugs, cash seized
A 16-year-old Burnaby youth was taken into police custody following the execution of a drug search warrant on July 31 in Cranbrook.
Aug. 7
Colonies of feral felines abound in Cranbrook
B.C. SPCA identified Cranbrook as having an abundance of feral cats. Feral cats are different from regular housebound feline as they are born 'in the wild' and are not domesticated or habituated to human contact.
Aug. 10
Couple safe after grizzly bear enters home
A grizzly bear was shot in a Kimberley home early Sunday morning.
Mark and Niki Traverse were awoken at 4:30 a.m. on Sunday to noises in their kitchen and found a grizzly boar eating dog food. Mark shot the bear three times as it approached them, killing it.
Aug. 11
Local golf club celebrates centennial
The Cranbrook Golf Club officially celebrated it's 100th anniversary over the weekend. A representative from Golf Canada recognized the centennial at the club championship on Aug. 8.
Aug. 14
Angling ban announced
The province announced it is suspending angling for the southern Kootenays due to ongoing warm water temperatures and low flows. The suspension was to begin Saturday, Aug. 15 and continue through to Sept. 15. It suspended virtually all angling in streams and rivers in Wildlife Management Units 4-3 through 4-9.
Aug. 17
SAR teams search for missing man
Search and Rescue teams from all over the East Kootenay were on the scene in the Findlay Creek area, looking for a Canal Flats man who fell off a bridge while trying to free his stuck vehicle. The search began at night on Aug. 14, but was called off due to dangerous conditions and darkness. It resumed early the next morning.
Aug. 19
Fire crews moving to full service policy
Council approved a policy that directs emergency crews to strive to provide full service level operations. The policy was brought forward by Fire and Emergency Services and will take effect on or before June 30, 2016.
Aug. 20
The Canadian Rockies International Airshow Society on Aug. 17 gave a sneak peak at some of the aircraft delights that will be on display in just under one year's time. The preview included the Pitts X2C biplane and a fully restored 1958 Nanchang, a Chinese prop-driven fighter/trainer.
Aug. 21
Hottest July ever for Earth, but 10th for Cranbrook
U.S. weather officials called July the planet's warmest month on record, but on Cranbrook's scale it is only the 10th warmest. Lisa Caldwell, Environment Canada Meteorologist, said the mean temperature, which is all the daily temperatures averaged out for the month, for July 2015 was 20.2 degrees Celsius.
Aug. 25
City approves Canadian Tire's new location
Canadian Tire is moving ahead with its plans to move into space formerly occupied by Target. At city council Aug. 17, city staff recommended the approval of an application and draft Highway Corridor Commercial Development Permit which would enable Canadian Tire to re-develop of the property.
Aug. 27
Search for missing man comes to sad end
The vehicle of a missing Cranbrook man has been located, and RCMP say a deceased individual was also found nearby. Gordon Rice of Cranbrook was reported missing last week, having last been seen Aug. 20.
Aug. 28
Dead Kokanee reported at Koocanusa Lake
A fisheries biologist said there was no reason for alarm after some dead Kokanee salmon were discovered by anglers on Lake Koocanusa. Heather Lamson, a local fisheries biologist with the Ministry of Environment, took samples on Aug. 28 and shipped them off to a lab in Duncan.