Almost all highways were closed leading in and out of Hope by Wednesday evening, as heavy rains persisted in the region.
Highway 7 was the first to close in the afternoon, when a landslide near the Haig Station hit the roadway. That closure runs between Highway 9 and Ross Road and assessment is expected on Dec. 11.
Janelle Staite, executive director for the Transportation Ministry’s south coast region, said that small rockfall came down late in the day and the ministry wasn’t able to get its geotechnical team out to assess right away.
“It remains closed until we’re able to get eyes on it at first light tomorrow, which will determine our action plan for reopening.”
Highway 1 was closed eastbound from Highway 9 to Hope. That closure was expected to be in effect until midnight.
Highway 5 (Coquihalla) was also closed Wednesday evening, with an update expected at midnight. That closure affects both lanes and is from Othello Road to Exit 290 in Merritt.
Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon, north of Hope, was also closed late Wednesday evening. That closure was in both directions, between Yale and the Highway 12 junction at Lytton. The next update for that closure isn’t expected until sometime Thursday.
Shortly after that closure, Drive BC listed Highway 3 closed in both directions from Hope to Copper Mountain Road. It’s closed for nearly 133 kilometres, with the next update in 11 hours and no estimated time of reopening.
This left the only route out of Hope westbound along Highway 1, while all routes into Hope were closed.
Hope Mayor Victor Smith told Black Press Media Wednesday night that the district is “better prepared than we were last time,” referring to the atmospheric river event of 2021.
“The water is not as high as it was then,” he said, and they are going to continue monitor everything through the evening.
He said the rain was expected to ease by 11 p.m. Wednesday in Hope, and that highway crews would be assessing the multiple landslides in and around Hope in the daylight on Thursday.
The Ministry of Transportation and Transport issued a travel advisory to the public on Wednesday evening, asking people to avoid any areas in the Fraser Valley that is at risk of flooding. The worst flooding was expected early Thursday morning.
All highways that lead to the interior of the province flow through Hope.
In the historic flooding event of November 2021, Hope became an island community, cut off completely for several days by all routes after a three-day atmospheric river event. During that time, people camped in their vehicles under overpasses, and along the highways.
By 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10, more than 80 mm had fallen in Chilliwack during the day, according to volunteer weather reporter Roger Pannett.