Signs warning motorists of mudslide activity due to last year’s Elephant Hill wildfire have now been installed on Highway 1 near Cache Creek and Highway 97 near the junction with Highway 99.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure says the 2017 wildfire caused significant damage resulting in roadways in the area including Highway 1 and 97C at an increased risk of mudslide activity.
“Signs will remain in place until ministry experts determine there is no longer a risk of slide activity,” the Ministry stated in an email.
“More signs will be installed in the near future on Highway 99 and Loon Lake Road.”
The Elephant Hill fire which started in July 2017 and grew to more than 190,000 hectares in size caused significant damage and the evacuation of nearly 50,000 people in the Thompson and Cariboo Regional Districts.
Culverts have also been installed to prevent runoff water from flooding Highway 99 west of Hat Creek Ranch in burn areas where there was less vegetation to absorb it.
“Peoples’ safety is our top priority, and we remind drivers to obey all highway signs and road crews at all times,” the Ministry adds.
“These events are very hard to predict as many of these slides have been caused by very small, but very localized and intense storms which may not be picked up through conventional forecasting.”