Evacuation Alert issued for Old Fort Residents

UPDATE – As of 8am Saturday the Old Fort Road will be closed all day Saturday according to Drivebc.ca. The next update is expected at 5pm.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – Old Fort Residents have been put on evacuation alert after the landslide started to move.

The Peace River Regional District has placed residents in the Old Fort under an evacuation alert as of 6 p.m. Friday.

The alert was issued due to ground movement that has occurred and continues to occur in the vicinity of the Old Fort Subdivision. This new slide is affecting the only road access in and out of the area.

The road will be closed overnight between Friday, June 19th and Saturday morning, June 20th (except emergency vehicles).

The PRRD says that 150m of the Old Fort Road has been impacted by the latest ground movement.

The cracking in the hillside extends 100m upslope. There is also a creeping behaviour moving down from the road, and a ripple in the ground, which may indicate the toe is 120m below the road.

The PRRD alert says, “Anyone not prepared to shelter in place should consider leaving the area, as the situation could worsen and prevent the road from re-opening in the morning. The ground movement has created difficulty for the Ministry of Transportation (MoTI) to maintain the road in a safe and passable condition. The likelihood, duration, and speed of continued ground movement are unpredictable at this time.”

See the full alert below.

An Evacuation Alert has been issued by the Peace River Regional District effective Friday, June 19, 2020 at 6:00pm (18:00 hours) due to ground movement that has occurred and continues to occur in the vicinity of the Old Fort Subdivision, affecting the only road access in and out of the area.  The road will be closed overnight between Friday, June 19^th and Saturday morning, June 20^th, (except emergency vehicles). Anyone not prepared to shelter in place should consider leaving the area, as the situation could worsen and prevent the road from re-opening in the morning. The ground movement has created difficulty for the Ministry of Transportation (MoTI) to maintain the road in a safe and passable condition, and the likelihood, duration, and speed of continued ground movement is unpredictable at this time. Observed field conditions and geotechnical observations from MoTI include:

• 150m of road impacted
• cracking and movement extends 100m upslope – creeping behaviour moving down from road, ripple in ground which may indicate the toe 120m below the road
• Slide movement rate has increased and movements of up to 300– 450mm per hour have been recorded

Because of the potential for danger to life and health should the road become completely impassable and be closed in both directions for an unknown length of time, preventing departure from the area or entry by emergency services such as police or ambulance, the Peace River Regional District has issued an Evacuation Alert for all properties 7605 Old Fort Road. 

An Evacuation Alert has been issued to allow residents to plan for a variety of scenarios that may occur.

1.     Determine if your individual situation allows you to safely shelter in place, given that road access may be cut off at any time and not be re-established for an unknown length of time. Those who choose to stay will not be provided additional support or supplies at this time.

2.     Prepare to evacuate your premises or property on short notice should the situation worsen.  Residents will be given as much advance notice aspossible prior to evacuation; however you may receive limited notice due to changing conditions. 

3.     Self -evacuate if you feel that is the best option for you. 

4.     Emergency Support Services will be available only if you have evacuated; you may register for assistance by calling 250-794-3310 as follows:

a.      Friday, June 19^th, 8pm to 10 pm

b.     Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21, 10 am – 2 pm

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:

·       Locate all family members and designate a meeting area outside the evacuation area, should an Evacuation Order be called whileseparated.

·       Sign up for notices via the NEBC alert system  to receive up to date information as it becomes available – sign up at https://bit.ly/37Kh31o

·       Pack essential items such as government-issued ID, medications, eyeglasses, valuable papers (e.g. insurance, credit, and mortgage information), immediate care needs for dependents and, if time and space permits, keepsakes for quick departure.

·       Prepare to move disabled persons, children and/or neighbours, if assistance is needed.

·       Prepare to take pets with you and move livestock to a safe area (if possible).

·       Arrange transportation for all your household members. Fill the gas tanks of personal vehicles.  If transportation assistance is needed, call 1-800-670-7773

·       Arrange accommodation for all members of the residence, if possible.

·       Monitor www.prrd.bc.ca/emergency for information on evacuation alerts, orders and updates.

·       Monitor Ministry of Transportation media channels (www.drivebc.ca , twitter.com/DriveBC for road condition information.

Further information will be issued should the situation change. 

Updates regarding the alert status will be posted at www.prrd.bc.ca/emergency

For more information contact the Peace River Regional District at 1-800-670-7773 or 250-784-3200.