The Peace River Regional District says properties in the community of Old Fort are under evacuation orders or alerts.
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Evacuation orders and alerts have been issued in the small community of Old Fort in northeastern B.C. because of a landslide.
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The Peace River Regional District earlier this week declared a local state of emergency and says all residents of properties east of Old Fort Road should leave their homes — except for the residence at 7711 Old Fort Road — because of the potential danger caused by active and increasing ground movement.
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Old Fort is a community about five kilometres south of Fort St. John. Several other properties are on alert.
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In an update Friday, the district said B.C.’s Transportation Ministry has closed the road causing community isolation.
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“There is no safe road access to or from the community,” the statement says. “The landslide remains active and unstable.”
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On Saturday afternoon, B.C.’s Transportation Ministry said the latest assessment indicates the slide mass was moving at a rate of approximately 18 to 24 centimetres per hour, though movement rates can fluctuate and ground behaviour remains highly unpredictable.
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The ministry estimated the slide at 400 metres wide.
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Since the slide started, the affected section of road has shifted approximately 74 metres downslope, as of Friday, the ministry said in an emailed statement.
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There is no timeline for when slide movement will slow or stop.
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Once movement slows sufficiently and conditions are deemed safe, work will proceed to restore access as quickly as possible, the ministry said. It added that crews will continue to monitor conditions and will provide an update as more information becomes available.
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It’s not the first major landslide in the area. In 2018, a landslide on Old Fort Road affected resident’s access to the community. The road was repaired, but after the heavy rains in mid-June 2020, the slide moved again.
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Final evacuation orders lifted in Old Fort, B.C., years after landslides
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The ministry conducted a review of long-term options, which examined alternative routes into the community of Old Fort and determined the best option was to continue using the existing route while conducting further geotechnical assessment to identify potential improvements.
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