Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
Heavy rainfall on Friday and warmer temperatures through the week have parts of B.C.'s Interior and North preparing for the worst, as river levels and flood risk rise. Heavy rain is expected to continue through the weekend and temperatures are forecast to stay in the high teens. Hundreds of properties in B.C. are on evacuation alert, meaning residents should be prepared to leave at a moment's notice.
Evacuation alerts have been issued for areas of Tagish, as well as areas of Marsh Lake and Lewes River Road in Yukon, according to a public flood update released by the Emergency Measures Organization Saturday. The alert is because of high water and flooding in the area. All of Southern Lakes and Lake Laberge have surpassed 2007 flood levels. Yukon residents and visitors in the affected area have been placed on alert and must prepare to be ready to evacuate on short notice.
