Residents in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, saw tall columns of light stretching into the night sky around 6:30 p.m. MST on January 28, 2026. These colourful beams appeared to extend above streetlights and industrial buildings, and dozens of locals shared photos of the display on social media. While the lights might be mistaken for the aurora borealis, meteorologists identify them as light pillars — an atmospheric optical effect.
According to Atmospheric Optics, light pillars form when air is cold and still enough for plate‑shaped ice crystals to form near the ground. These tiny crystals, often called diamond dust, act like millions of small mirrors that reflect light from the ground back toward an observer’s eye, producing vertical columns or pillars of light.
Environment and Climate Change Canada observations for Dawson Creek Airport on the day show humidity in the low 80s and daytime temperatures around -4°C, with forecasts for overnight lows near -6°C — conditions consistent with pillar formation. (The Peace River region can experience much colder winter temperatures at times, which also favour diamond dust formation.) Local social media and community posts reported the most dramatic displays near the downtown Mile 0 marker and visible from industrial work sites on the outskirts of town.
News outlets such as CBC have previously reported similar light‑pillar displays in cold parts of Alberta, and the dry, cold climate of the Peace River area frequently creates the right environment for them. The lights are an optical phenomenon and are harmless; no reports of power outages or service disruptions were associated with the event.
