The Evacuation Alert for Fairmont Creek in Fairmont Hot Springs has been rescinded.

Residents along Fairmont Creek were evacuated on May 31 following a major debris flow event. However, they were able to return home June 2 and the Evacuation Alert has been in place ever since.

“While the debris removal work continues on Fairmont Creek, we have now regained enough capacity within the system that we can lift the Alert,” said Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK)  Information Officer Loree Duczek.

The debris flow event, the second largest in recorded history in Fairmont, was caused by a rain- on-snow event over the May 30 weekend that hit on the heels of the hottest five days of 2020. “We had debris flows in both Fairmont Creek and Cold Spring Creek and it has been staggering to see how much material came down,” said Duczek. “In the past 27 days, over 3,600 dump truck loads of debris have been removed in Fairmont. To put that in perspective, lined up end-to-end, those dump trucks would stretch from Fairmont Fire Hall to the Fire Valley Café in Canal Flats.”

Although the Evacuation Alert has been lifted, the work in Fairmont continues. The RDEK anticipates it will be at least another week or so to complete debris removal in the upper debris traps on Fairmont Creek. Additional debris removal and repair work will continue on both creeks throughout the summer.

“I would like to thank everyone who has been working so hard since May 31 to get us to where we are today. I know there is still much work to be done, but it is encouraging to be at a point where we can lift the Alert,” said RDEK Electoral Area F Director Susan Clovechok.

The State of Local Emergency remains in place.

For the latest status on local flooding, the COVID-19 response or emergency preparedness information, visit the RDEK’s Emergency Info page.

Above image: The green border shows the area that was covered under the evacuation order.  RDEK map

RDEK

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