Flood updates: Rains ease in B.C., but heat could melt snowpack

With temperatures spiking this weekend, so too are worries about the increased risk of rising river levels in B.C.

A high streamflow advisory remains in effect for the upper and lower Fraser River.

The Mission Gauge is at 5.55m. Levels are forecast to rise this weekend to around 5.65m, but stay below 6.0m into early next week.

Meanwhile, there is a flood warning for the Quesnel River and a flood watch for the Thompson River and Shuswap.

Hot temperatures are expected to make the late snowpack in the mountains melt more quickly, but that’s just one of several concerns being raised by the head of the River Forecast Centre.

“The first is the progression of runoff that has come from rainfall that we experienced earlier this week that has been travelling down from larger river system and we can still see that today or tomorrow,” said Dave Campbell.

Emergency Management B.C. says more than 530,000 sandbags have been deployed in the province.

“We have been working with the BC Wildfire Service crews to limit flood damage,” said Pader Brach of Emergency Management B.C.

“This weekend, we have around 130 BC Wildfire Service personnel on standby if needed (to assist with sandbagging),” he said.

Brach is also warning people about the risk of being around river banks.

“While I know people may want to seek out rivers during the hot weather over the weekend, river banks again are very dangerous right now and prone to collapse. High flows will also make waters more difficult to navigate,” he explained.

He said people should take precautions and be especially mindful of children and pets around rivers.

Campbell says the coming days are critical for the flood risk, but it’s hoped the province can turn a corner on the threat by late next week.