PRINCE GEORGE

Thursday, April 27, 2023 | 9:43 am

The provincial River Forecast Centre issued an advisory warning for the Upper Fraser River on April 26. River levels are rising quickly and forecasted water levels could force City parks and trail closures as early as Monday, May 1.

If the City’s Emergency Operations Centre is activated as a result of these developments, evacuation alerts will be delivered to affected residents along Farrell Street by Tuesday or Wednesday next week.

Ice flow is moving along well in the Fraser River, April 27, 2023 at Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park. – PJXM News photo.

“Things are changing very quickly,” said Tanya Spooner, the City’s emergency programs manager. “The emergency programs team will closely monitor the rivers over the next few days and we urge people living in areas prone to flooding to prepare for a possible evacuation. That means reviewing or updating your evacuation plans, making sure you have emergency kits ready, and so on.”

The Centre’s forecast is a full five days out with low confidence that flooding is imminent. The City will provide updates on news.princegeorge.ca and on the City’s Facebook and Twitter accounts when available.

In the meantime, residents are advised to stay away from riverbanks, creeks, and fast-flowing bodies of water for safety’s sake. Avoid recreational activities such as fishing, swimming, boating, or hiking near high streamflow rivers or streams, which can easily trap even strong swimmers and increase drowning risks.

Released by City of Prince George