Highway 1 in Fraser Canyon to close as storm approaches

The Ministry of Transportation's camera shows Highway 1 in Boothroyd on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023.

A stretch of Highway 1 in B.C.'s Fraser Canyon will be closed overnight Monday, as an atmospheric river is expected to douse the region.

The Ministry of Transportation announced the closure Monday, saying it will be in effect between Boothroyd and Siska starting at 7 p.m. Checkpoints will be set up outside of Hope and Lytton to advise drivers of the closure and provide information about potential detours.

"The ministry's geotechnical experts have recommended this closure as a precaution in case heavy precipitation overwhelms the area affected by this summer's Kookipi Creek wildfire," a statement from the province says. Areas that were hard-hit during the wildfire season are more vulnerable to flooding, falling trees and landslides, experts have pointed out.

There is no scheduled time for reopening, the ministry says, adding that an assessment will be done "mid-morning" on Tuesday.

A rainfall warning for the Fraser Canyon says between 40 and 60 millimtetres of precipitation are in the forecast, with heavy downpours expected and some flooding possible.

People travelling to the Interior from the Lower Mainland can use Highway 3 or the Coquihalla, the statement from the province says. However, those highways are currently under snowfall warnings.