Lightning storm starts small fires in Nanaimo area

New in this update:Last night's lightning storm has started 16 small fires on Vancouver Island. The BC Wildfire Service says 15 of them are burning south of Nanaimo and one is just north of Pemberton.International students are facing new hurdles this school year because of COVID-19. The Dean of International Education at Vancouver Island University says the federal Government is not making it easy for international students to return to Canada, even if they have student visas.Graham Pike says more than 90 international students opted to stay in Nanaimo over the summer, instead of risking being denied re-entry this fall.Nanaimo MLA Sheila Malcolmson says she'll be using her summer break to reconnect with constituents to herald the accomplishments by the NDP government."We know they've been waiting for resolution on the homelessness and overdose and social disorder front for a long time, but we're bringing new tools and some of the investments are starting to bear fruit and get us ahead on the issues that are important to people here in town."—Sheila Malcolmson, MLA for Nanaimo.