City of Quesnel has ordered a state of local emergency

The city of Quesnel has declared the local state of emergency due to the flooding risk along Baker Creek.

Mayor Bob Simpson says it allows the city to respond to the threat, which could potentially result in the damage of loss of infrastructure, property, or the environment, in a timely manner:

“Most of the banks of Baker Creek are right of ways or city property, but there are areas where we will have to access the banks through private property and declaring a local state of emergency just makes it easier for our contract crews and city crews from getting access to those banks. It’s only for debris clearing, some tree removal that will have to be done, and then in cases where we have some extreme bank movement to protect those banks.”

Simpson explained it doesn’t involve any homes, and there are currently no evacuation alerts or orders.

“The way that local states of emergency work is that the city works with the provincial emergency program and Emergency Management BC. We have the unilateral right to declare the first state of emergency without the province’s permission. That lasts seven days, so the declaration we did today is a seven-day state of emergency. If we need it in place longer then it has to be through the permission of the Solicitor General for the province, but we think we just need it for the weekend,” he added

Public works and contractors will be doing the necessary work.

Residents are being asked to stay away from Baker Creek (and the banks of all rivers and creeks) and obey all warning and hazard signs for their own safety.

– with files from George Henderson, MyCaribooNow.com staff