By Chad Klassen

First resident within TNRD ordered to evacuate with Guichon Creek rising

May 4, 2018 | 3:30 PM

MERRITT, B.C. — One home has been evacuated in the Lower Nicola as the fast-flowing waters in Guichon Creek rise and threaten the property. 

LeRoy Wagner got notified at 11:30 on Thursday night that he had to leave his home within the Guichon Creek Mobile Home Park. 

“I was ready to stay, but they said I had to go,” he notes. “But when I come this morning and seeing how much it was washed out, I’m glad I did go.”

TNRD Director for Area “M” Randy Murray says the creek poses too much of a danger to Wagner’s place. 

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“The decision was made to evacuate that particular home for safety purposes. Maybe a chance to get some shoring and rip-rap in there. They’re working on that now, but that’s the only one so far that we’ve had to take direct action on.”

Wagner’s sun deck is partially under water and the concern is it will give way.

“This is worse than last year,” says Wagner. “But last year it didn’t come in as far this way. It’s not as high as what it was last year, but the volume coming through here seems to be greater.”

On Friday, family and friends were out helping him move his stuff out. Meantime, the Ministry of Transportation was working to put more rip-rap on the banks of Guichon Creek next to his trailer.  

“I’ll go stay with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law or somebody, I’ll see what I can do,” he says. “Depends how much is left of this after they decide what to do. If they don’t get some big rock in here and stabilize this is a little bit, it’s going to erode the whole thing out.”

Wagner has no idea how long he’ll be out of his home. 

“Last year it was three weeks and it wasn’t as bad.”

Further north at Stump Lake, there are no evacuations imminent. The TNRD was working to reconstruct an access bridge that had been washed out this week.

“I don’t think evacuations are the issue in that area. Many are secondary homes,” says Murray. “There are some primary homes out there as well, but of the dozen or so that are at risk, our staff and engineering personnel have been working on some mitigating strategies. There are some water dams available, sandbagging.”