Update (10:30 a.m., July 3, 2025): BC Hydro crews have restored power to most of its customers who were left in the dark due to yesterday’s storm.
On Wednesday afternoon, a severe yet short-lived storm system swept across the region, blacking out power to 3,788 BC Hydro clients around the region.
Most of the outages were reported around Cranbrook, including along Highway 3 from Yahk to Gold Creek, Wycliffe, areas around the Canadian Rockies International Airport and the Bull River area.
People between Sparwood, in Jaffray, and south of Fairmont Hot Springs were also without power overnight.
BC Hydro officials say the storm blew down trees, power poles and electrical wires across the East Kootenay, leading to the widespread outage.
As of 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, 739 customers are still without power around the region.
Original story (3:30 p.m., July 2, 2025): A storm sweeping across the East Kootenay on Wednesday afternoon has knocked out power to over 3,700 BC Hydro customers in the region, mostly in areas surrounding Cranbrook.
According to the company’s outage map, power has been disconnected along Highway 3, south of Cranbrook, which includes Yahk, Moyie, Lumberton and Gold Creek.
North of the City, Wycliffe and areas around the Canadian Rockies International Airport are also experiencing a blackout.
Another stretch of Highway 3 is dealing with an outage, including areas around Mayook, and a section of Wardner Fort Steele Road.
In the Elk Valley, 319 customers are without power between Sparwood and Elkford, along with a small area of Jaffray.
In the Columbia Valley, a further 726 customers along Highway 93/95 south of Fairmont Hot Springs are in the dark due to the storm.
As of 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, BC Hydro says 3,788 customers are experiencing a power outage.
The power company says trees falling across power lines have led to most of the local outages, while the cause of the others is still under investigation.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
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