Evacuation alerts issued for parts of B.C. with flood and thunderstorm watches in effect

B.C.'s River Forecast Centre has issued a flood watch for parts of the province's Interior as warming weather causes snowmelt and rising waters, while high streamflow advisories remain in place across much of northern B.C., prompting evacuation alerts in a number of small communities.

The latest flood watches cover the East Okanagan River including Mission Creek and tributaries, the West Kettle River, and Spius Creek. A flood watch means river levels are rising and may exceed their banks and flood adjacent areas. 

Advisories have also been issued for the Similkameen River, tributaries near Penticton, Kelowna and Vernon, as well as the Salmon River near Salmon Arm and rivers in the Kootenay-Boundary region including the Kettle River, Granby River and surrounding tributaries.

Two communities northwest of Princeton, B.C., have been issued an evacuation alert. The Regional District of Similkameen-Okanagan says residents in the villages of Coalmont and Tulameen should be prepared to leave in case an evacuation order follows.

The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, in the southern Interior, also issued an evacuation alert for 10 properties in rural Grand Forks.

In northwestern B.C., a flood watch has been issued for the Bulkley River, and evacuation alerts are in effect for low-lying properties on either side of the river at Smithers, as well as properties in the Quick Station area.

Evacuation alerts have also been posted for northern B.C., in the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, for properties along the Skeena River north of Terrace.

The forecast centre says a low-pressure system is expected to bring unsettled weather and moderate to heavy rainfall across the Interior starting Friday.

It says current modelling indicates the potential for high flows and possible flood conditions over the weekend, with some uncertainty about how much rain will fall.

In northern B.C., advisories remain in place for the Stikine, Skeena and Liard rivers and tributaries with waters expected to rise this weekend.

The forecast prompted the B.C. government to issue a statement encouraging residents to prepare for possible flooding.

On Friday, Environment Canada issued a "severe thunderstorm" weather watch for the Okanagan Valley, Boundary, Nicola, Shuswap, and South Thompson regions.

"Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing heavy rain," the forecaster said in a statement. 

Emergency operations centres activated

Due to the flood risk, the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine (RDKS) in northwestern B.C. has activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and issued evacuation alerts for the small communities of Old Remo, New Remo, Dutch Valley, and Usk, along the Skeena River.

The RDKS says a reception centre has been set up at the Thornhill Community Centre, located at 3091 Century Street in Thornhill, should the evacuation alert be upgraded to an order.

The City of Terrace has also activated its EOC, and says hand sandbagging stations are available for Terrace and RDKS residents on Skeena Street, Graham Street, Braun's Island, New Remo and in North Terrace.

Meanwhile, the City of Williams Lake in the Central Interior activated its EOC Thursday, in response to rising water levels reported at a decades-old beaver dam, sitting high above a small residential area on Juniper Street off South Lakeside Drive. 

Erick Peterson, director of the region's Emergency Operations Centre, says Emergency Management B.C. crews are working to assess the site and pump water around the dam to reduce water levels. He says residents below are not in any danger at this time. 

Walt Cobb, the mayor of Williams Lake, says the dam is located on Crown land within city limits, and has not caused concern since the 1970s. 

The city says a state of local emergency could be declared to allow city staff to access private properties in the area and other resources if need be.

The Cariboo Regional District says it has activated its emergency operations centre in preparation for the forecasted weather, and is encouraging people living near water to take precautions and watch for warning signs of flooding.