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Rivers keep rising, more rain expected

Rain is expected to continue across B.C. over the next week, adding to late snow melt that is causing high river levels.
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Portable dikes called Hesco baskets have been filled with sand and deployed in low-lying areas near Prince George.

Rain is expected to continue across B.C. over the next week, adding to late snow melt that is causing high water in the Fraser River system and elsewhere in the province.

Emergency officials said Tuesday that the rising water is expected to peak by this weekend at 6.38 metres at the Fraser River gauge at Mission. That is well below the 8.89-metre height of the lower Fraser River dike system, so communities along the lower Fraser are not likely to experience flooding except for areas not protected by dikes.

Water from heavy weekend rains is still flowing south through Prince George, with the gauge at South Fort George expected to peak at about 10 metres by Friday, said Dave Campbell, head of the B.C. River Forecast Centre.

Environment Canada meteorologist David Jones said a low pressure system off the B.C. coast is expected to spread rain to the South Coast this week and into the Interior by the weekend. Interior temperatures are expected to rise to near 30 degrees before the rain arrives, accelerating snow melt in areas such as the Skeena and Bulkley watersheds where much of the snowpack remains, Jones said.

The low pressure system will likely persist into next week, but rainfall amounts are unpredictable at this stage.

Justice Minister Shirley Bond said the province has 1,000 forest fire staff on standby to help with sandbagging if local officials need emergency help. The province has two million large sandbags on hand, with some already deployed at regional centres including Chilliwack and New Westminister.

Chris Duffy of Emergency Management B.C. said three of the province's six emergency coordination centres have been activated, at Prince George, Kamloops and Surrey.

Duffy said areas outside dike protection include aboriginal reserves at Hatzic and Seabird Island on the lower Fraser. Emergency officials have eight kilometres of portable dike structures on hand.

Bond warned B.C. residents to follow instructions from local emergency officials in the event of evacuation orders.

"If you fail to obey an evacuation order, you can put yourself, your family or others at risk," Bond said.