‘Extreme weather’ fans flood concerns

May 14, 2018 | 3:28 PM

KAMLOOPS — Little help in sight from Mother Nature when it comes to the flooding situation in B.C.’s Interior.

Dave Campbell, head of the BC River Forecast Centre, said during a teleconference Monday that we’re now headed into our fourth consecutive week of “extremely high temperatures across the province.”

“Average temperatures over the last three weeks have been six degrees above normal,” he said. “It’s been melting snow rapidly. Mid elevations have melted by half or two-thirds which is now shifting to mid to upper elevations.”

To make matters worse, Campbell said this week’s forecast heat wave will bring temperatures to an average of 10 to 15 degrees above normal.

He said areas of concern will continue to be located in the Okanagan, Boundary, Shuswap, Similkameen Valley along with new and emerging areas such as the Kootenays, Prince George, Quesnel and the Bulkley and Lakes District areas.

Chris Duffy, executive director of programs with Emergency Management BC, said just fewer than 2,000 homes in B.C. remain under evacuation order and more than 2,600 under evacuation alert.

He also reminded people to be careful in areas where flooding is prevalent.

“We are concerned about the challenging conditions so keep children and pets away from flood waters and fast moving waters.”