Residents of Old Fort are being told to stay put after ground movement was reported in a known landslide risk area.
The Peace River Regional District Emergency Operations Centre said it received reports of movement within the 2018-2020 landslide zone. As a precaution, the Ministry of Transportation and Transit closed the only road in and out of the community.
For people living in Old Fort, that means no way in or out for now and a need to be ready if conditions change.
Officials said there are currently no evacuation alerts or orders in place, but residents must shelter in place until the road reopens.
Dawson Road Maintenance, which maintains the route, said it is monitoring an active slide on Old Fort Road and warned conditions can shift quickly. The company asked people to avoid unnecessary travel to keep the route clear for emergency responders and local traffic if needed.
DriveBC has asked commuters to avoid the Old Fort Road area between River Road and River Drive due to ongoing landslide assessments.
Peace River North MLA Jordan Kealy said he will meet with Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth to discuss the situation and other infrastructure issues, and will provide updates.
According to the Ministry of Transportation and Transit, cracking has been observed at the roadside and geotechnical engineers are on the way to assess conditions.
“The ministry understands the impact on people with this road closure,” he said.
“However, for safety reasons, the ministry will need to undertake a full evaluation before a timeline for reopening can be determined.”
The ministry said its maintenance contractor and traffic control personnel are on site to observe conditions and guide traffic during the closure. Drivers are advised to check DriveBC for up-to-date information.
A closure is in effect between River Road and River Drive and commuters are asked to avoid the area if possible.
Updates will be shared at prrd.bc.ca and on the Peace River Regional District Facebook page. Road condition updates are available on DriveBC.
Residents can also report slide activity to Dawson Road Maintenance Ltd. by email.
History of the Old Fort slide
The initial slide occurred overnight on Sept. 29, 2018, when a section of the hillside collapsed at a gravel mine. Residents were forced to evacuate their homes for more than a month as the ground continued to shift.
After heavy rainfall, the landslide was reactivated in June 2020.
