Residents of two communities in northwestern B.C. have been ordered to leave their homes, amid a flood warning due to unseasonably hot weather.
The Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine has also declared a local state of emergency for Electoral Area C, which includes the communities just southwest of Terrace, B.C.
The evacuation orders issued Tuesday afternoon cover all properties within the communities of New Remo and Old Remo, both along the Skeena River. About 90 properties are affected in the two communities.
The nearby community of Usk, upriver of Terrace, remains on evacuation alert.
The orders come after B.C. River Forecast Centre upgraded a flood watch for the area to a flood warning on Tuesday morning.
The impact stretch includes the Skeena and Bulkley rivers, and surrounding tributaries around the Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan territories, Telkwa, Smithers, Hazelton, Kispiox, and Terrace.
“Temperatures are forecast to be hot throughout the week, with daytime highs 10 to 15 degrees Celsius above seasonal values,” the River Forecast Centre wrote.
“Hot temperatures are leading to accelerated snowmelt in the region. Streamflow in most areas has begun to rise.”
On the Bulkley River near Smithers, the forecast centre said flows are expected to exceed the flood stage of five metres on Tuesday, possibly reaching 10-year flow levels between Wednesday and Thursday.
On the Skeena River at Usk, about 23 kilometres northeast of Terrace, it said the water levels have already reached 10.8 metres and are expected to exceed the flood stage of 11 metres, possibly reaching up to 20-year flow levels in the next few days.
“Stay clear of fast-flowing rivers and potentially unstable riverbanks,” the River Forecast Centre urged. “Avoid recreational activities such as fishing, swimming, boating or hiking near high streamflow advisories.”
Meanwhile, much of the B.C. Interior, including northern B.C., remains under high streamflow advisory. Flood watches are also in place for Cache Creek, Boundary, and the Slocan River near Crescent Valley.
The B.C. government said Tuesday that Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) is available for residents affected by flooding in the southeast and central parts of the province between April 27 and May 16, including folks from Cache Creek, West Kelowna, Oliver, Grand Forks, Fruitvale, and Midway. Support is also available to impacted residents of the Okanagan Indian Band, Bonaparte First Nation, Shackan Indian Band, Lower Similkameen Indian Band, Skeetchestn Indian Band, and Osoyoos Indian Band.
The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness said DFA applications must be submitted within 90 days of the disaster’s declaration. More information is available online.
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