Thanks to the quick work of crews and volunteers, a complete shutdown of Highway 1 westbound was averted.
A tree came down across the highway westbound just before 2 p.m. Monday near the Hunter Creek weigh scales. By 2:04 p.m. DriveBC tweeted that crews were en route to the site.
Cpl Mike Halskov with the RCMP’s Traffic Services said a vehicle with a lone driver tried to avoid a falling tree in rain and windy conditions. The tree hit the car near the top of the windshield, causing “significant damage”, yet the driver was not injured and was able to bring her car to a safe stop off of the highway.
Onlooker and Black Press sports reporter Barry Stewart said it was a big leaf maple tree that fell, blocking both lanes of the highway westbound. When Stewart arrived, emergency services had not yet reached the scene. Volunteers quickly sprang into action, one of whom had a chainsaw. They began chopping up the tree and clearing it off the highway.
Halskov said the highway was closed for a short time while the tree and debris were removed by crews. The RCMP added that their investigation is ongoing, yet there is no evidence of distracted driving or impairment.
Barry Stewart contributed photos and reporting.
