Flooding forces evacuation order, state of local emergency in Pemberton
CBC
The Village of Pemberton has declared a state of local emergency because of flooding.
An evacuation order has been issued for six properties along Airport Road, which include some residential properties, a golf course and adventure tourism companies connected to the airport.
Evacuation alerts are also in place for about 20 other properties in the Pemberton Valley, as several waterways swell with melting snow.
The unseasonable warm spell ushered in by a stream of moisture-laden Pacific air has set daily temperature records and accelerated snowmelt in southwestern B.C.
The village says properties at risk include those along the Lillooet, Ryan, Miller, Green and Birkenhead rivers, Pemberton Creek and Lillooet Lake.
In its emergency declaration, dated Tuesday at 12 p.m. PT, the village says there is "an immediate danger to life safety caused by flooding in the Pemberton Valley" for the affected properties.
People in the area have been told to evacuate toward the Sea to Sky Highway.
Pemberton is located about 30 kilometres north of Whistler and 150 kilometres north of Vancouver. It is home to about 3,400 people.
Pemberton Mayor Mike Richman said while river levels have receded slightly since Tuesday morning, warm weather and snowmelt have contributed to the flooding.
"It's really a bit of a wait and see what we get tomorrow and the day after," Richman said on CBC's On The Coast Tuesday afternoon. "We're happy with where we are at this moment in time, we'll let people know if there's any need for any further action."
He reminded residents to stay clear of waterways and to have a bag packed in case they are placed on evacuation order.
On Tuesday morning, B.C.'s River Forecast Centre expanded a flood warning to include the Lillooet River, saying flows at a gauge near Pemberton were at levels seen once every five to 10 years.
A flood warning remains in effect for the Squamish River, where a bulletin says flows have exceeded once-in-five-year levels at a gauge near Brackendale, north of downtown Squamish.
The risk of flooding is expected to persist into Thursday, as another atmospheric river brings more rain and melting snow, the bulletin says.
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