Local state of emergency declared, evacuations ordered north of Hope due to risk of flooding, debris flow

Residents of 27 properties along the Trans Canada highway about 14 kilometres north of Hope, B.C., were ordered out of their homes Tuesday, as the Fraser Valley Regional District declared a local state of emergency.

The district issued the order at 5 p.m. PT, saying heavy rains were causing debris flow and flooding in the area.

There's a small lake and forested slope above the neighbourhood, and according to the district, there's a potential for damage to structures and personal property.

The affected properties are along Dogwood Valley Road, Baker Road, Yurkin Road, Nickel Mine Road and the Trans Canada Highway.

According to the evacuation order, residents were to leave the area immediately, after closing all windows and doors and shutting off gas and electrical appliances, other than fridges and freezers.

Kristin Marlatt is one of the residents who was ordered out of her home Tuesday evening but says she's not leaving. She works as a cook at the Somewhere Else Cafe, which is on the highway right next to the evacuated properties.

Marlatt said word of the evacuation order began to spread in the neighbourhood around 8 or 9 p.m. PT.

"Less than five minutes later, I stepped outside for a smoke and I seen the cop car with the flashing lights," she said. "They gave us three pieces of paper and told us to read it and it said to go to the Yale Community Centre."

'We're not leaving'

"My landlord downstairs, she was like, 'Well, we're not leaving.' Our neighbours didn't leave and neither did the people down the street," added Marlatt, who says she lives with her aunt.

"My aunt that I'm staying with just had surgery, so whatever she does, I have to stick with her.

"I am a bit concerned, because the waterfalls behind us just kind of picked up the other day ... The corner house right beside the restaurant here got completely flooded out," she said, adding that the house often gets flooded this time of year.

Marlatt said one of her neighbours basically cleared out her house, but another neighbour is the fire chief and he doesn't seem too worried about the threat coming from the hillside.

She said she's in her early 30s, spent nearly her entire life in the area, and the risk of landslide has always been known. She said she's now worried the slope could give way.

"I'm ex-military, so I already had a go bag ready to go in case anything happens," said Marlatt, who has now packed her truck, so she's ready to go if she needs to flee.

The district's local state of emergency is set to remain in place until Feb. 11.

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