The BC River Forecast Centre is predicting the river level at South Fort George could reach between 9.5 to 9.8 metres this weekend. An official flood watch remains in place for the Prince George area. Currently, the Fraser River at South Fort George is at about 9.4 metres. Residences on Farrell Street could start to flood when the river reaches about 9.8 metres.
Recent heavy rainfall in the Fraser River Basin has caused the River to rise significantly, which now poses a danger of flooding to residences of Farrell Street as well as Paddlewheel and Hazelton Parks.
Members of Prince George Fire Rescue are currently hand-delivering evacuation alert notices to homes on Farrell Street. Sand and sandbags are available to the residents of Farrell Street and are positioned at the North end of the Street.
The City of Prince George issues evacuation alerts to notify residents of a risk to their property and their personal well-being that may also prevent emergency vehicles from accessing their property. Should the City issue an evacuation order, residences under alert must be evacuated immediately.
Residents under alert are strongly advised to have an emergency kit readily available to enable them to quickly leave their properties in the event of an evacuation order. Please visit the Province’s PreparedBC website for information about how to prepare one of these kits. For up-to-date information about river forecasts, please visit the BC River Forecast Centre website. Cottonwood Island Park and the Heritage River Trail from the Cameron Street Bridge to Taylor Drive remain closed due to the rising river levels. Barricades have been installed at parking lot entrances to notify motorists of the closure and warning signs have been installed at various locations in the Park. Paddlewheel Park and Hazelton Park also remain closed with signage installed. Nechako Riverside Park and McMillan Creek remain open, but staff are monitoring the river levels along the park banks. The City encourages residents to use caution whenever walking near the rivers, particularly during periods of increased water levels.