Lightning Knocks Out Power Across Highway 16 Corridor

A lightning strike knocked out power to about 45,000 BC Hydro customers across northern British Columbia Thursday afternoon. The outage started at around 4:15 p.m. and stretched from Vanderhoof to Prince Rupert, hitting nearly every town along Highway 16. Outages were also reported in nearby areas including Stewart, Fort St. James, the Nass Valley, and parts of Haida Gwaii. The strike occurred near a major transmission line, causing a failure that left homes and businesses without power across a wide section of the northwest. BC Hydro crews responded quickly and began working to restore service. A spokesperson said power had to be returned in stages to ensure system safety and reliability. By approximately 5:20 p.m., most affected customers had their power restored. Some more remote or rural locations may have experienced longer delays. The incident did not result in any reports of injuries or structural damage, though it caused temporary disruptions for many residents and businesses. The event highlights the vulnerability of regional infrastructure to natural causes like lightning, particularly in areas dependent on long transmission corridors. BC Hydro says further updates will be posted on their website as needed while crews monitor the system.