PEP Updates	2005-01-31
For more information on the current flood situation Flood News Provincial Emergency Summary Ice Jams/Flooding January 31, 2005 1630 hrs Note: Unless circumstances warrant, no further scheduled public summaries will be issued by Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre after today. Overview: Weather forecasts for the Peace River and for some parts of the Central Interior state that above normal temperatures are expected for next 2-3 days. Seasonable norms are forecast to return by Friday. Monitoring of rivers and streams in these areas will continue this week. Seasonable weather is forecast to slowly return in other areas of the province over the next few days. Specific Community Updates: • Horsefly: Conditions on Horsefly River and Moffat Creek are slowly improving. Assessments by water management and regional district representatives continued today. It is expected that the Horsefly Bridge may soon be open to all traffic. A public information meeting was held Sunday afternoon in Horsefly. Representatives from the Cariboo Regional District and the province attended. • For updated public information on the Horsefly River and Moffat Creek conditions, residents can contact the Cariboo Regional District: 250 305-8151. • Hixon: The Declaration of a Local State of Emergency issued Jan. 24 by the Fraser-Fort George Regional District expired earlier today and will not be renewed. • Quesnel: The Declaration of a Local State of Emergency issued Jan. 24 by the city of Quesnel expires this evening. • North Vancouver: The Declaration of a Local State of Emergency issued Jan. 19 by the District of North Vancouver remains in effect until Feb. 5th. For more information, visit the district web site: www.district.north-van.bc.ca. Recovery Phase: In the central and southern Interior, many communities that had been affected by ice and flooding over the past ten days are now in the recovery phase. Monitoring and assessments are ongoing. Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) has been authorized for impacted areas in all regions of the province. For more information on DFA, visit the PEP web site: http://www.pep.bc.ca/dfa_claims/dfa.html PEP 24-hour emergency line: 1-800-663-3456. Incidents 30 January 2005 British Columbia continues to experience warmer than normal temperatures resulting in high runoff from melting snow and rain causing an increased risk of ice jams, flooding, landslides and avalanches in many parts of the province. Some communities that have been impacted by ice and flooding are now beginning to move into the recovery phase. The northern Interior and the Peace River basin are expected to see a significant rise in temperatures over the next few days. 26 January 2005, 1200 hrs Evacuations have been initiated by a number of municipalities and regional districts under a local state of emergency using a three-stage process. Many parts of B.C continue to experience extreme weather, including warmer than usual temperatures and high runoff from melting snow and rain. This is causing ongoing risk of ice jams, flooding, landslides and avalanches in many parts of the province. 24 January 2005, 1500 hrs Many parts of B.C continue to experience unusual weather, including warmer than normal temperatures causing high run-off from melting snow and rain. This is continuing to create a high risk of ice jams, flooding, landslides and avalanches in many parts of the province. Some precautionary evacuations are taking place in north eastern BC and the southern interior due to risk of flooding from ice jams or impact from landslides. Many rivers in the Central Interior are experiencing spring run-off levels. River ice continues to break up and cause jams in many areas. On the South Coast and Vancouver Island, river levels continue to drop, however some rivers are still on flood watch due to high rainfall in the last few days. Some rivers are still running above flood stage along the South Coast and Vancouver Island due to very high rainfall of the past few days, but are expected to recede this week. 23 January 2005, 1400 hrs Many parts of the Province continue to experience rainfall and warmer than normal temperatures. Extreme avalanche and landslide risks continue throughout southern British Columbia, and some areas may also experience flooding. Risk of ice jams on rivers continues in parts of north central B.C. Rainfall is expected to taper off in most areas in southern B.C. 22 January 2005, 1400 hrs Many parts of the province are experiencing the heavy rainfall that was predicted earlier for the regions. Extreme avalanche and landslide risks remain throughout southern British Columbia. Some areas may also experience flooding because of heavy rainfall and warmer than normal temperatures. Northern B.C. is experiencing unsafe driving conditions on icy roadways. A flood watch is in effect for the Sayward and Cowichan Rivers on Vancouver Island. 21 January 2005, 1400 hrs Avalanche and landslide risks continue to be a concern throughout southern British Columbia. Some areas may also experience flooding because of heavy rainfall and warmer than normal temperatures. Northern B.C. is experiencing road closures and icy roadway warnings, but several road closures in the southern regions have now been lifted. Despite generally improving conditions, weather warnings remain in effect. 20 January 2005, 1700 hrs British Columbia continues to be impacted by floods, ice jams, landslides and avalanches caused by heavy rainfall, snowmelt and record high temperatures over the past few days. While the situation is generally improving in the short term, many communities are still dealing with the impacts to residents and infrastructure. Some communities will be starting to move into the recovery process. More heavy rain is expected over the next few days. 19 January 2005, 1300 hrs Heavy rains and warming temperatures have raised the flood potential for Vancouver Island and the southern interior of the province. A serious and damaging landslide in North Vancouver District occurred overnight forcing the evacuation of about 100 people. The Similkameen River is flooding in Keremeos area with evacuations occurring. Ice jams and further flooding is expected throughout the central region. The Cold Water River near Merritt is producing flood waters. Howe Sound area could be at a higher probability of flooding with the expected continued predicted rain and warming temperatures. Many other areas in the lower mainland and southern interior are experiencing various degrees of increased localized flooding. 18 January 2005, 1500 hrs Continued heavy rainfall and melting snow and ice have resulted in increased localized flooding on the south coast, lower Fraser Valley and on Vancouver Island. Much of southern BC has been impacted by flooding, road closures, avalanches, landslides, power outages and other incidents associated with an unusual winter weather pattern. 17 January 2005, 1500 hrs Heavy rainfall coupled with snow melt is causing localized flooding in parts of the Fraser Valley, Sea to Sky Corridor and on parts of Vancouver Island.

For more information on the current flood situation Flood News Incidents 24 January 2005, 1500 hrs Many parts of B.C continue to experience unusual weather, including warmer than normal temperatures causing high run-off from melting snow and rain. This is continuing to create a high risk of ice jams, flooding, landslides and avalanches in many parts of the province. Some precautionary evacuations are taking place in north eastern BC and the southern interior due to risk of flooding from ice jams or impact from landslides. Many rivers in the Central Interior are experiencing spring run-off levels. River ice continues to break up and cause jams in many areas. On the South Coast and Vancouver Island, river levels continue to drop, however some rivers are still on flood watch due to high rainfall in the last few days. Some rivers are still running above flood stage along the South Coast and Vancouver Island due to very high rainfall of the past few days, but are expected to recede this week. 23 January 2005, 1400 hrs Many parts of the Province continue to experience rainfall and warmer than normal temperatures. Extreme avalanche and landslide risks continue throughout southern British Columbia, and some areas may also experience flooding. Risk of ice jams on rivers continues in parts of north central B.C. Rainfall is expected to taper off in most areas in southern B.C. 22 January 2005, 1400 hrs Many parts of the province are experiencing the heavy rainfall that was predicted earlier for the regions. Extreme avalanche and landslide risks remain throughout southern British Columbia. Some areas may also experience flooding because of heavy rainfall and warmer than normal temperatures. Northern B.C. is experiencing unsafe driving conditions on icy roadways. A flood watch is in effect for the Sayward and Cowichan Rivers on Vancouver Island. 21 January 2005, 1400 hrs Avalanche and landslide risks continue to be a concern throughout southern British Columbia. Some areas may also experience flooding because of heavy rainfall and warmer than normal temperatures. Northern B.C. is experiencing road closures and icy roadway warnings, but several road closures in the southern regions have now been lifted. Despite generally improving conditions, weather warnings remain in effect. 20 January 2005, 1700 hrs British Columbia continues to be impacted by floods, ice jams, landslides and avalanches caused by heavy rainfall, snowmelt and record high temperatures over the past few days. While the situation is generally improving in the short term, many communities are still dealing with the impacts to residents and infrastructure. Some communities will be starting to move into the recovery process. More heavy rain is expected over the next few days. 19 January 2005, 1300 hrs Heavy rains and warming temperatures have raised the flood potential for Vancouver Island and the southern interior of the province. A serious and damaging landslide in North Vancouver District occurred overnight forcing the evacuation of about 100 people. The Similkameen River is flooding in Keremeos area with evacuations occurring. Ice jams and further flooding is expected throughout the central region. The Cold Water River near Merritt is producing flood waters. Howe Sound area could be at a higher probability of flooding with the expected continued predicted rain and warming temperatures. Many other areas in the lower mainland and southern interior are experiencing various degrees of increased localized flooding. 18 January 2005, 1500 hrs Continued heavy rainfall and melting snow and ice have resulted in increased localized flooding on the south coast, lower Fraser Valley and on Vancouver Island. Much of southern BC has been impacted by flooding, road closures, avalanches, landslides, power outages and other incidents associated with an unusual winter weather pattern. 17 January 2005, 1500 hrs Heavy rainfall coupled with snow melt is causing localized flooding in parts of the Fraser Valley, Sea to Sky Corridor and on parts of Vancouver Island.