Ice jam forces closure of popular Prince George trail
City officials warn people to stay away from potential flood zone
Prince George officials have shut down a portion of the Heritage River Trail because of rising river levels.
"[It] is now parallel with the bank," said city spokesperson Michael Kellett.
The closure includes the trail system between the Cameron Street Bridge and Kiwanis Park.
A recent cold snap — temperatures between –20 C and –28 C — caused an ice jam near the confluence of the Fraser and Nechako Rivers.
"The ice is building up. We are monitoring the lower two kilometres of the Nechako River," explained Kellett.
River ice 'an extreme hazard'
But the city also worries about people putting their lives at risk.
During a recent assessment, officials saw human footprints on parts of the frozen river.
"I think folks are thinking that they can head out there," said Kellett.
"That is absolutely not advisable, and in fact, it is an extreme hazard."
Ice jams can cause floods
Last December, officials put nearly two dozen homes on evacuation alert near the town of Smithers, 371 kilometres west of Prince George.
An ice jam there caused river levels to rise which then flooded backyards.
And in 2007, a 5.5 kilometre ice jam caused severe flooding in Prince George.
The city spent millions of dollars trying to unclog the ice jam, including a failed effort to use a floating excavator brought in from Montreal to pick the ice apart.
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