Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation declares emergency over flood risk in Old Crow, Yukon

CBC
·4-min read
Hal Frost Jr. briefs flood monitors Thursday afternoon. (Porcupine River Incident Management Team - image credit)
Hal Frost Jr. briefs flood monitors Thursday afternoon. (Porcupine River Incident Management Team - image credit)

The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (VGFN) issued a community emergency declaration and travel advisory on Friday evening due to the risk of flooding of the Porcupine River in Old Crow, Yukon this weekend.

The emergency declaration allows VGFN government to designate local community safety officers, and to access more resources for the joint Yukon Government and VGFN team overseeing emergency operations in the community.

Old Crow has been on flood watch since Friday afternoon because of the risk of flooding in the Porcupine River during seasonal breakup. Some areas of the community are also on evacuation alert.

But there has been some positive news for the community since the evacuation alert was issued, according to Yukon government spokesperson Mike Francie.

Reduced risk of ice-jams

Two ice runs passed through the community on Friday and a third passed on Saturday, May 18.

"The ice runs dislodged upriver and then passed through town," said Fancie, who is currently stationed in Old Crow.

"One of the concerns the water experts had was whether or not those ice runs would accumulate at a narrow point downstream and make water rise more aggressively."

Mike Fancie acts as a Community Engagement Officer for the Yukon Government.
Mike Fancie acts as a Community Engagement Officer for the Yukon Government.

Mike Fancie acts as a Community Engagement Officer for the Yukon Government. (Maria Tobin/CBC)

Fancie said this movement of ice has likely reduced chances of severe ice-jam flooding, but meltwater from the mountains is continuing to flow into the Porcupine and water levels may continue to rise.

Residents are encouraged to take precautions and remain alert to changing conditions throughout the weekend.

"People are celebrating Caribou Days in Old Crow ... and it's not something I want to cast a shadow on because of what's happening on the river right now," said Fancie.

"But just because there isn't a lot of ice on the ricer, especially compared to yesterday, it's still not a good time to put boats in the water and go out on the land. It's not a good time for people, especially kids, to go too close to the riverbank."

What to do if there is an evacuation

Zones 1, 2 and 3 of the community are still under evacuation alert. That means residents in these areas should be prepared to leave their homes according to a Friday news release from the the Yukon Emergency Measures Organization.

Old Crow residents in Zones 1, 2 and 3 should be ready to leave any time, after an evacuation alert was issued Friday over potential flooding.
Old Crow residents in Zones 1, 2 and 3 should be ready to leave any time, after an evacuation alert was issued Friday over potential flooding.

Old Crow residents in Zones 1, 2 and 3 should be ready to leave any time, after an evacuation alert was issued Friday over potential flooding. (Yukon government )

If an evacuation order is issued, the community will sound its sirens, and flood monitors will go door to door through each zone and notify residents. Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation will also share any updates to its Facebook page, the government said on Saturday.

"If you are in these zones, you should be ready to leave at a moment's notice," the release said.

When preparing to evacuate, people should prepare an emergency kit with at least 3 days worth of supplies, make an evacuation plan, and stay clear of the Porcupine and Crow rivers, including riverbanks.

The news release also said that if there is an evacuation, people should register at the reception centre at Chief Zzeh Gittlit School, even if they are not staying there.

Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation has issued a travel advisory recommending against any non-essential travel to Old Crow while the community is on flood watch. Anyone traveling to Old Crow should be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours without power or running water.

The Canadian Red Cross, on behalf of Government of Yukon, has pledged emergency support to residents of Old Crow.

"Old Crow residents who are in the community are being supported by Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation," a VGFN spokesperson wrote on Facebook. "Old Crow residents who want to relocate to Whitehorse during the flooding, or who are already in Whitehorse, can get emergency support by calling 1-888-800-6493."

The Red Cross phone line will be available at all hours.

Disruptions to sewage infrastructure

There has been some flooding on Old Crow's Dump Road near the community's sewage lagoon, which VGFN said on Saturday may lead to service disruptions for the community.

"Right now, on Saturday, we're concerned about sewage planning capacity because we can't transport waste to the sewage lagoon or the dump right now due to water levels in that area of town," Fancie said.

Community members are being asked to conserve water by using taps and flushing toilets less and taking shorter showers.

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