Rising floodwater a danger to the homeless, says Maple Ridge advocate

The Maple Ridge Street Outreach Society is calling on the city to open more emergency beds in light of the rapidly rising Fraser River.

At least 50 people camp along the banks of this part of river, and many have been forced away as the water inches higher.

“I’ve never seen it this high myself,” said the society’s co-founder Tracy Scott.

“I’ve seen it high, but not like this.”

She said the situation is increasingly dangerous, and campers along the Fraser have died in the past, due to flooding. Scott doesn’t want it to happen again.

A.J. – as he’s known on the street – camps near Kanaka Creek Regional Park. He told CTV News he’s been watching the water “getting closer and closer.”

“Then it got to the point that it was almost coming over my bed, so I said, 'Oh crap,' and I kind of panicked,” he said.

Many of his friends have already packed up and left.

“Everyone’s talking about when the flood is going to come, it’s going to be like a flash flood and it’s going to come in quick,” he said, looking over the Fraser River.

With no place to go, A.J. figured he would stay put for now, while keeping a very close eye on the water.