An evacuation alert for the town of Smithers, in northern British Columbia, has been expanded due to an ice jam that caused the Bulkley River to exceed its flow.
The alert, first issued on December 22, was expanded on December 25 to include the 2700 block of Pacific Avenue, the Fall Fair grounds.
Properties covered by the initial alert, including the 2100 blocks of Riverside Drive and Main Street, must also remain prepared for the possibility of an evacuation order.
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BC braces for extreme cold, near expected record lows in Greater Vancouver
The alert issued for the nearby Ebenezar Flats area remains unchanged.
Affected residents are being asked to prepare for a possible evacuation order by having essential items ready for a quick departure, such as medicine, valuables, souvenirs and personal documents.
Residents should be prepared to care for and evacuate dependents, move pets and livestock to safety, and arrange possible accommodation for their families, if necessary.
Many parts of northern British Columbia, including Smithers, are under an extreme cold warning on Sunday, with temperatures forecast to drop between minus 30 and minus 50 degrees Celsius overnight with the wind chill.
Records were broken in various parts of the province on Sunday morning, including Agassiz, Burns Lake, Port Alberni and Vernon, with temperatures of minus 11.9 C, minus 38.6 C, minus 12.3 C and minus 19, 2 C, respectively.
Extreme cold, driven by the icy Arctic air mass that has settled over the interior, is expected to subside on Monday.
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Reference-globalnews.ca