DUE to rapidly rising floodwaters from the Fraser River, Metro Vancouver has placed Barnston Island, located in Electoral Area A, under an evacuation alert, effective 10 a.m. on Thursday.

The evacuation alert is a precautionary measure – Barnston Island residents are not required to leave at this time, but are asked to prepare for a potential evacuation order over the long weekend. Access to Barnston Island is now restricted to residents, businesses, and those with a family connection. Barnston Island Regional Park is also closed.

Metro Vancouver staff are actively monitoring Fraser River levels, patrolling dikes, deploying sandbags, and have established a command post on site to coordinate evacuation activities. A state of local emergency has been declared to restrict access to the island and to support a potential evacuation.

The BC River Forecast Centre, Environment Canada, and Emergency Management BC predict increasing river flows over the next several days, due to snow melt and precipitation.

Metro Vancouver is responsible for emergency management in Electoral Area A, which includes Barnston Island and other areas of the region that are not part of a municipality. On Wednesday, June 29, Metro Vancouver hosted a town hall meeting in partnership with the Katzie First Nation to share flood and response information with island residents.

Evacuation alert information for residents

Residents of the island are being asked to:

• Gather essential items, such as medications, eyeglasses, valuable documents, immediate care needs, and pets, and prepare to leave quickly.
• Know the location of all household members and determine a place to meet if separated during a potential evacuation.
• Prepare to evacuate children, plus disabled or elderly persons.
• Begin relocating large pets and livestock to a safe area immediately. People will have priority over large animals on the Barnston Island Ferry once an evacuation order is issued.
• Arrange accommodation for your family, if possible, in the event of an evacuation. Emergency lodging will be provided if necessary.
• Consider taking steps to protect your property from damage, only if time permits.

Residents of Barnston Island who have questions about the evacuation alert can contact Metro Vancouver’s Information Centre by phone, 604-432-6200, or email, icentre@metrovancouver.org