At 2:45 p.m. Monday, the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary issued evacuation orders to an additional 171 properties in the Grand Forks area, bringing the total number of orders given since Saturday to 189.
The latest round of orders have been given to 108 homes on Highway 3, Gilpin Creek Forest Service, Heaven and Nursery/South Nursery roads, 36 homes south of the Grand Forks Airport on Gilpin, Darcy and Jmayoff roads, and 27 homes in Johnson Flats on 12th Street and Division Street.
Evacuees can access Emergency Support Services (ESS) at the Jack Goddard Memorial Arena in Grand Forks. Evacuees are encouraged to stay with friends or family if possible. Everyone is asked to respect physical distancing and health and hygiene protocols due to COVID-19. Information about how to do so will be available through ESS.
Earlier story
Five properties on the east side of the Granby River just north of the Highway 3 bridge in Grand Forks were issued evacuation orders Sunday night by the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB).
“Residents are required to leave the affected areas immediately due to the immediate threat of flooding from the Granby River,” a release sent at 7:43 p.m. says.
#RDKB issued evacuation orders for five properties in the Granby Road area in @1grandforksbc: https://t.co/6LbujmxYwQ #Freshet2020 @EmergencyInfoBC pic.twitter.com/lA0k2nKs91
— RDKB Emergency Info (@RDKB_Emergency) June 1, 2020
Earlier Sunday, the RDKB issued evacuation orders to 13 other properties on Manly Meadows Road and Beatrice Street in Grand Forks after road access to the properties was threatened by rising water.
Evacuation orders for 13 properties in #RDKB Area D/Rural Grand Forks; Some temporary flood protection near complete in @1grandforksbc & others not technically feasible: https://t.co/n51TqQ14Dz @RolyRussell pic.twitter.com/CpseHIA9tc
— RDKB Emergency Info (@RDKB_Emergency) June 1, 2020
A total of 18 properties are now (May 31) on evacuation order affecting about 40 residents in rural Grand Forks and 1,137 properties remain on evacuation alert, affecting a further 2,275 people across the Boundary area.
The orders come after the Boundary saw bouts of heavy rain and warm weather over the weekend, causing the Kettle River system to reach above-average levels. According to the latest RDKB projects (May 31), the rain events may cause the river system to reach between a five and ten-year return level by Monday afternoon.
An Emergency Operations Centre call centre has been set up for Boundary residents and is staffed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The toll-free number for the call centre is 1-888-747-9119.
The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary declared a State of Local Emergency on May 29, anticipating possible flooding events across the Boundary region. The decision triggered provincial resources to be deployed in the region, including 40 BC Wildfire crew members who helped to install temporary flood protection measures around downtown Grand Forks.
Read more: Two more Johnson Flats properties given evacuation alerts
Read more: Six homes ordered to evacuate early Tuesday morning in Grand Forks due to flooding
