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Squamish today: Bear activity prompts warnings and partial park closure

СƵ Parks has temporarily closed parts of Stawamus Chief Provincial Park due to increased bear activity, urging visitors to stay alert and follow safety guidelines. Also, check out these cool Squamish pics! ⬇️

Happy Wednesday, Squamish.

According to Environment Canada, the rain will be gone by Friday. 

Today, July 9, we can expect periods of rain, with a high of 19 C and a low of 13 C overnight. 

Fog patches will develop after midnight.

Thursday, it will be mainly cloudy with a 40 % chance of showers in the morning, clearing in the afternoon.

High pressure is forecast to reestablish itself later this week, bringing sunny conditions and warmer temperatures.

On Friday, though, it will be sunny with a high of 28 C and an overnight low of 12 C. 

The weekend will see sun and temperatures in the high 20s C or low 30s C.

Sunrise was at 5:15 a.m. this morning, July 9, and sunset will be at 9:20 p.m.

Moon phase

The moon is in its full moon phase.

The moon's illumination is currently 98.58%, meaning that is the percentage of the moon illuminated by the sun, according to .

It is currently located in the constellation of Sagittarius.

Howe Sound conditions

The water temperature in Howe Sound today is 18 C at the Halibut Bank buoy, according to 

Allergens

According to  data, this is the pollen situation in our region:

Pollen: Moderate
Spores: None

Today's top allergens

All Fungal Spores (Low)
Cedar, Cypress, Juniper, Thuja (Low)
True Grasses (Low)

Tomorrow, July 10

Pollen: Moderate
Spores: None

Tomorrow's top allergens

All Fungal Spores (Low)
Cedar, Cypress, Juniper, Thuja (Low)
True Grasses (Low)

July 11

Pollen: Moderate
Spores: None

Other stuff you should know

Be bear aware

Black bears are definitely out and about in Squamish right now.

Areas of Stawamus Chief Provincial Park have been closed, due to the presence of a food-conditioned bear, according to СƵ Parks.

A temporary closure of the North Wall and Grand Wall bouldering areas has been put in place, effective today, July 9 to July 16.

"This closure is intended to give the bear some space and a chance to move on, and to ensure the continued public safety and protection of natural park values," the СƵ Parks website reads.
Impacted areas include:

  • North Wall closures are from bouldering areas "Action Man" to "Close to home" from 0.0 km on the Mamquam FSR to 1.4 km. The Slhanay Trail will remain open at this time but we ask visitors to use caution.
  • Grand Wall boulders are closed from bouldering areas from "Titanic south" to the "Apron Descent Trail" (south side of the Apron). The Apron Trail will remain open as a through trail only (no stopping).

"All visitors are required to securely store all attractants. Store all food and scented items in a vehicle, hard-sided trailer, or bear-proof locker. Visitors failing to ensure they keep attractants secure may be evicted from the park and issued a violation ticket under the СƵ ," reads the СƵ Parks notice.

On July 4, there was a bear incident in the of Alice Lake Provincial Park to which the Conservation Officers Service was called out. 

Following the incident, СƵ Parks sent out a reminder on its website that all park visitors should carry bear spray and ensure all attractants are secured.

The District provides the following other tips for recreating in our prime bear region.

- Travel in groups if possible and make noise to avoid surprising a bear.

- Leash dogs at all times—bears can see dogs as threats, and off-leash dogs may provoke a response or lead the bear back to its person.

- Look out for bear signs like fresh scats, freshly overturned logs, and ripe berries on bushes and avoid overgrown trails.

- Use extra caution in areas where bears commonly are, such as near berry bushes or streams.

- Make noise on the trail by clapping or talking, especially around blind corners or when visibility is low.

Report aggressive bears to the Conservation Officer Service  line toll-free at 1-877-952-7277.

X̱wún̓eḵw Park closure notice

The District says that X̱wún̓eḵw Park on the Mamquam Blind Channel downtown will be closed for sea dike and flood protection upgrades until summer 2026.

Impacts will include:

🔴 Closure of the park, including the water access, watercraft storage facility and Main Street parking area.

🔴 Alternative public water access is available at Sp'akw'us Feather Park.

🔴 Construction noise and vibration due to construction activities including pile driving and ground densification work.

🔴 Short-term traffic disruptions on Loggers Lane.

"This work is an integral part of the ongoing dike upgrade program identified in the District's Integrated Flood Hazard Management Plan (IFHMP). The District has been in contact with user groups of the Squamish Paddling Club Storage. The X̱wún̓eḵw Canoe Shelter will still be accessible," reads the muni's social media post.

You can go!

The public Washrooms have opened at Sp’awk’us Feather Park, on the oceanfront.

The washrooms are located at 37111 Sp’ak’wus Landing, between the parking lot and the green space behind the children’s playground.

The toilets are open to the public from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., according to a post from the District. 

There are four stalls in total, all of which are gender neutral.

Two of the stalls are accessible with baby change stations.

Water restrictions

Water restrictions have been in effect since May 1.

The muni has set Stage 1 outdoor water use restrictions.

Stage 1 means lawn watering is limited to two days per week.

"In the summer months, water consumption nearly doubles. The outdoor water use restrictions are in place to effectively manage the supply and demand of water across the community during the warmer months," the District said in a social media post.

Locals with even-numbered addresses water on Wednesday and Saturday.

Locals with odd addresses water on Thursday and Sunday.

Watering can take place from 4 to 10 a.m. and from 7 to 10 p.m. 

Permits may allow additional watering of newly seeded lawns and new sod. Call the Public Works office at 604-815-6868 for more on those permits.

Britannia Beach and Furry Creek water restrictions

Watering restrictions are also in effect for Britannia Beach and Furry Creek as of June 1, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) announced in its newsletter.

Britannia Beach and Furry Creek water system users are asked to limit their use of water for sprinkling and irrigation to the following times:

  • 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
  • 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Chipper days!

Squamish FireSmart is hosting Chipper Days for the 2025 wildfire season.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

The District reminds locals that Squamish DOX Recycling, located at 40446 Government Road, is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The recycle hub accepts a variety of recyclable materials, including: glass, flexible plastics, foam packaging, paper and cardboard, containers (plastic, metal, and paper).

Live view of the Stawamus Chief  ⬇️.