THE increased risk of avalanches is forcing the closure of Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon from Yale (Victoria Street) to Boston Bar (Old Boston Bar Road) on Monday, January 10, at 8 a.m., the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure announced on Sunday night.

The increased avalanche risk is due to the recent warm weather and upcoming atmospheric river event.

The closure will be re-evaluated daily by the ministry’s avalanche team, with the highway reopening when it is safe, which may take several days given the upcoming weather system. Please check DriveBC.ca for updates.

The ministry’s avalanche program is run by highly trained avalanche professionals who monitor weather and snowpack conditions continuously during the avalanche season. The program manages more than 60 avalanche areas that include almost 1,400 individual avalanche paths throughout the province.