British Columbians took to social media Tuesday evening to share reports of a bright fireball in the night sky over Vancouver, and a house-rattling sonic boom.
A seismologist from Natural Resources Canada’s earthquake early warning operation has confirmed a few local seismometers in B.C. picked up the event well, and the agency can confirm the shock recorded was “not an earthquake.”
Alison L. Bird adds, however, that Earthquakes Canada cannot specify the location of the event, as its system is designed to detect movements within the Earth and not atmospheric occurrences.
The incident happened shortly after 9 p.m. Pacific time, with bright flashes followed minutes later by a sonic boom strong enough to register on multiple area seismographs, which measure and record ground motion, vibrations and seismic waves.
People have also been sharing webcam footage on social media showing the sky brightening, from one horizon to the other, as the suspected meteor soars above the clouds.
All indications suggest the region was witness to a significant meteor, scientifically known as a bolide.
Bolides are typically chunks of rock or ice, from asteroids or comets, that burn brightly in Earth’s atmosphere before exploding.
Witness reports say the flash was seen over a long range, while the sonic boom could be heard from the Fraser Valley to Washington State.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 4, 2026.
This article’s cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
