The entire Klondike Valley is under an evacuation alert as a precaution in the face of ice-jam flooding.
According to an April 25 notice from the territorial government’s emergency measures organization (EMO), the valley is under two different levels of flood advisory depending on location but all valley residents are being advised to prepare to evacuate their homes should it become necessary.
Those preparing to evacuate are being advised to locate all family members and locate a designated meeting place, gather important items and documents, move livestock and pets to a safe area and arrange transportation and accommodations.
The evacuation alert applies to everywhere between the confluence of the Yukon and Klondike rivers and Henderson Corner.
The area from the confluence to the Dredge Pond subdivision is under a flood watch and, according to the EMO notice, this is an intermediate level of flood advisory issued when it is expected that the river may burst its banks and areas nearby may flood.
“The Klondike is expected to breakup within the next one to four days. During that time water levels will fluctuate as jams form and release. The formation and release of an ice jam near Klondike Highway bridge is difficult to predict but has the potential to cause flooding. This is considered the highest risk area for flooding over the next five days,” the EMO forecast for the area reads.
Areas along the Klondike River from Bear Creek to the Dempster Highway bridge are under a high streamflow advisory.
The territorial government will offer regular updates at www.yukon.ca/emergencies. A notice from the City of Dawson states that local government will issue their own updates and that information will be available by radio at 105.5 and 106.9 FM.
(Jim Elliot)