(UPDATE: May 13, 2018 @ 10:45 a.m.)

Officials report that river levels appear to be receding in the Kootenay Boundary, however, warmer temperatures have prompted them to prepare for a second event.

Emergency officials are cautioning the public to remain vigilant in anticipation of the second surge of water from melting snow set to pass through local watersheds over the weekend and into early next week.

Crews continue to repair critical dykes in the Boundary region in priority sequence.

Public must remember to remain outside of evacuation order areas, this includes boaters. Individuals looking for images of the floods must obey the orders that are in place and refrain from entering evacuation zones and floodwaters.

A lot of debris is present in our waterways which pose serious safety threats. Emergency officials are assessing damage with the help of digital assessment tools paired with GIS technology.

The Ministry of Transport is flagging problem areas with yellow ribbons and cones on the road ways to indicate compromised areas. The MOT is working in priority sequence to address these sluffing, cracks and damaged areas.

Click here for more photos from the flooding that hit the City of Grand Forks.

(UPDATE: May 13, 2018 @ 8 a.m)

As residents and emergency officials deal with flooding in Grand Forks, a number of properties have been taken off evacuation order. A total of 74 properties have been downgraded to an evacuation alert as a precaution.

Emergency officials warned that they are expecting the potential for more problems as a second surge of water makes its way through local watersheds with the runoff from melting snow.

Close to 3,000 residents remain on evacuation order across the Boundary region due to the ongoing threat of a second flood as high temperatures continue over the coming days.

Re-entry plans for several neighbourhoods are on hold now that current forecasts and river modeling show a second crest reaching levels close to that seen on May 10.

Over 1,000 people have registered with the reception centre in Grand Forks. Less than 20 individuals are staying in available group lodging; most displaced residents are staying elsewhere.

Digital assessment tools paired with GIS technology will allow emergency officials to quickly map damaged areas and compile data about flood impacts as they carry out field assessments of affected areas.

Flights have taken place throughout the day to document critically damaged structures and changes to river channels that will affect how the water flows when river levels rise again mid-week.

Some services and amenities such as the post office, library and a couple of local grocery stores have been downgraded from evacuation order to alert, allowing residents to access necessary amenities.

Crews are now repairing dykes that failed when overtopped by floodwaters and pumping water from low-lying neighbourhoods closest to the dyke breach. Crews are also working diligently to repair and maintain existing flood protection structures across the Boundary region.

(Original Story: May 12, 2018)

River levels in the Kootenay Boundary have already started to receded, but officials aren’t relaxing, as a second surge of water is expected.



Emergency officials are cautioning that many evacuation orders will remain in place until the second surge from melting snow has passed through local watersheds over the weekend and into early next week.

About 2,500 residents in B.C.’s Kootenay Boundary region have been forced from their homes as the worst flooding since 1948 hit.

“The flood situation is dynamic and we are expecting secondary peaks in rivers over the coming week. Our priority is to get people back into their homes as soon as it’s safe to do so, but we need to respect what weather and river forecasts are telling us – this flood is not over yet,” said Chris Marsh, EOC Director for the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary.



Fire rescue technicians rescued over 30 people by boat in the City of Grand Forks and swam through muddy, debris-laden water to in the City of Grand Forks to make sure everyone was able to get to safety.

A further 10 properties were also put under evacuation order in rural Grand Forks due to soil instability after surging floodwaters scoured riverbanks.



RDKB emergency officials along with agency partners from the Province of BC and power utilities surveyed the entire region by air on Friday to begin to assess damage from the historic flood that has now devastated homes and properties across large areas from the west Boundary to Christina Lake.

BC Wildfire Service crews have constructed sandbag berms along Highway 3 near Grand Forks to keep the highway open and sandbags will remain in place until the Granby river has crested again in the coming days.

Many Grand Forks residents have registered with the Red Cross upon evacuation. Loved ones wanting to connect with them can call 250 442-1658 or 250 442-1556.