By Steve Hubrecht
[email protected]
Some of the most prolonged rains the Columbia Valley has seen in quite some time prompted the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) to issue an evacuation alert and declare a local state of emergency earlier this week in the Fairmont Hot Springs area.
Rain began in the valley on Sunday, May 23 and — unusually for the dry Columbia Valley — had continued to fall steadily for at least 48 hours right up to the Pioneer’s press time on Tuesday, May 25. By late Monday, May 24, the RDEK issued the alert for 229 properties in Fairmont, in areas alongside both Fairmont Creek and Cold Spring Creek.
“The prolonged, steady rain has resulted in an increase in water flow and sedimentation in both Fairmont Creek and Cold Spring Creek, which has filled our upper debris basins on both systems to near capacity,” RDEK information officer Loree Duczek said in a press release. “As a result of this reduced capacity, and with the forecast of more rain and thunderstorm activity this week, we have issued the evacuation alert out of an abundance of caution and to give people time to prepare to leave on a moment’s notice should conditions worsen.”
The RDEK’s weather station in Fairmont recorded almost 44 millimetres of rainfall between Sunday morning and Monday morning, enough to qualify as a one-in-25-year rainfall event for the area.
The Fairmont Hot Springs area is no stranger to floods and debris flows, having been hit with them — and with evacuation alerts or orders — last year and in 2012. Extensive flood and debris mitigation efforts have been undertaken on both Fairmont Creek and Cold Spring Creek since the 2012 events.
RDEK Area F director Susan Clovechok told the Pioneer on Tuesday, May 25, that the RDEK crews have been on site and that debris ponds created as part of the mitigation efforts seem to be doing what they are supposed to, and that workers were doing their best to keep culverts clear, to manage the extra flow of water.
The RDEK press release noted that while neither of the creeks has burst its banks, officials are concerned that with upper debris traps having been filled near, or to, capacity, and that with rainfall in the forecast throughout the week, there is the potential for additional sedimentation, and as a result, debris flooding or a debris flow.
“The most important thing is that people have their to-go bags (for potential evacuation) ready to go, so that in the event that they need to leave right away, they can,” Clovechok told the Pioneer.
Duzcek also emphasized this point in the RDEK press release, saying “now is the time for people to put together a grab-and-go kit that they have ready by the door, so that in the event they are asked to evacuate, they are ready to go…Important papers, such as insurance papers, medications, valuables, supplies for children and pets, photos or hard drives are all examples of things that can be included.”
The press release outlined that when the rain lets up, the RDEK will determine when it is safe for crews to remove the accumulated debris and restore capacity in the flood and debris flow mitigation system.
In the meantime, the RDEK is encouraging local residents to sign up for its evacuation notification system if they have not already done so.
“Once people are signed up, they will be directly alerted in the event of evacuation orders or alerts affecting their area. It’s a free system and is easy to sign up for,” said Duczek in the press release.
Stay tuned to the Pioneer’s website for updates or visit: https://www.rdek.bc.ca/news/.
