Road crews have been able to reopen a second highway corridor between the Lower Mainland and British Columbia’s interior, in the wake of devastating flooding and landslides.
Transportation Minister Rob Fleming told a new conference Saturday that crews are still working to repair Highway 99 between Pemberton and Lillooet, but that as of 12 p.m., it was safe enough for passenger vehicles on essential travel only.
“We are able, while that work is continuing, to open that highway now,” Fleming said.
The route has been opened to two lanes, and maintenance contractors will patrol it, he said.
“Because of the terrain, nothing larger than a cube truck will be allowed on the highway at this time.”
Motorists are being reminded to expect significant delays, and to drive carefully and for the conditions.
He added that the stretch of Highway 1 between Chilliwack and Bridal Falls was expected to reopen Saturday evening.
Fuel shortage concerns
Amid reports of long lineups at gas stations in the wake of a new order restricting fuel purchases to 30 litres per fill-up, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth again urged people to conserve.
B.C.’s fuel order is in place for the next 10 days, in part due to the fact the Trans Mountain Pipeline is expected to be offline until the end of next week because of the flooding.
“When I made the announcement, I said I expect there will people who will not want to respect that. I also know this: The overwhelming majority of British Columbians will do the right thing and respect that 30-litre limit,” Farnworth said.
“Is it a challenge? Yes. Is it inconvenient? Of course it is. But it’s also going to get us through this critical period.”
He again urged people to stay off affected highways unless necessary, and asked people to consider working from home or taking transit to conserve fuel.
Farnworth said the province was also in discussions with companies in the United States about securing gasoline, though if it can get the supply, it would take several days to arrive by barge.
He said the province has also spoken with CP Rail and made clear the transport of fuel was a top priority.
Fraser Valley agriculture
The province has made progress in securing critical feed for livestock in the Fraser Valley, Agriculture Minister Lana Popham said Saturday.
Crews have dropped four tons of feed, enough to sustain up to 5,000 animals, at a staging area in Abbotsford, she said, and BC Wildfire Service helicopters will distribute it.
The province has also been working with the Port of Vancouver and Abbotsford feed mills, and believes it has secured enough feed to sustain livestock for four to five days, she said. It has also received feed offers from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Washington state.
Officials have secured the services of 70 veterinarians, and is not aware of any medication shortages, she said.
Preparing for the next storm
The government is also closely watching the next storm systems come in.
A winter storm warning and special weather statements were in effect for much of northern B.C. on Saturday, and the BC River Forecast Centre issued a flood watch for the North Coast.
Farnworth said the province was watching closely, with the same weather system due to arrive on the South Coast by Sunday.
When it moves south, that system could initially deliver 20 to 40 millimetres of rain to the region, which Farnworth said normally would not be an issue but could cause problems for for already-flood-stricken areas.
“The key is communication (and) watching what happens with the weather as it comes down over the next few days,” he said.
The province has spoken to Environment Canada about speeding up the development of a new classification system for atmospheric rivers, based on one used in the U.S., that would help the region better prepare for future storms.