Downed trees, wires cause power outages on Lower Mainland

BC Hydro shared this photo on social media on Jan. 18, 2024, warning about the hazards of downed power lines.

Thousands on the Lower Mainland have been hit with power outages Friday morning, some due to fallen trees and downed wires.

The outages are impacting roughly 5,000 customers and come in the wake of heavy snowfall and as freezing rain warnings are in place for parts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

"We cannot take this seriously enough. Freezing rain is the most treacherous hazard, it coats everything. It will bring power lines down, it will crack trees. It will be very, very tricky," warns Armel Castellan, an Environment Canada meteorologist.

While the cause of most morning outages remains under investigation, BC Hydro lists downed trees or wires as the cause for people being in the dark in Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Vancouver, and on the North Shore.

The utility is reminding people that a downed power line should always be treated as an emergency. Anyone who sees one should stay 10 metres back and call 911 immediately.

BC Hydro advises everyone to prepare for the possibility of a sudden power outage by having an emergency kit with enough essentials to last 72 hours.