Rainy forecast prompts work to prevent valleywide flooding

With heavy rains in the forecast, Okanagan residents watched as BC WildÀre Service crews and contractors worked in areas at high risk of Áooding to put additional precautionary measures in place.

In a release Tuesday, the Central Okanagan’s emergency operations centre specifically mentioned the area along Mission Creek between Lakeshore Road and Okanagan Lake.

A state of local emergency was expanded city-wide for Kelowna on Monday, providing crews access to speciÀc private properties to protect public infrastructure, says the emergency operations centre.

Local states of emergency also remained this week for Peachland and West Kelowna, and in the Central Okanagan’s West Electoral Area in the area of Westside Road North from 5625 Westside Rd. to the regional boundary.

Flood prevention and mitigation efforts were underway throughout the region as ofÀcials continued to monitor roads, culverts, weather, creeks and streams. Bulman Road in Kelowna remains closed due to Áooding.

The emergency operations centre was asking property owners near creeks and streams — especially those who may have experienced Áooding in the past — to prepare. Self-serve sand and sandbags are available across the Central Okanagan.

For up-to-date information, including evacuation alerts and orders that remain in place, as well as Áood-preparedness resources, sign up for updates, visit cordemergency.ca, or call the information line at 250-469-8490 or 1-877569-8490 (toll-free).

Meanwhile, in the North Okanagan, BX Creek Trail (behind BX Dog Park) and BX Creek Falls trail at Tillicum and Silver Star Road remain closed due to rising water levels.

The regional district says warm weather over the past few days has increased snowmelt and rainfall amounts of up to 30 millimetres are expected, causing basins, creeks and streams throughout the North Okanagan to swell.