Saturday, September 25, 2010

Flooding after Fires

September 25, 2010 Another exciting weather season.  This summer there were forest fires cutting us off from Williams Lake, our nearest city 6 hours away by road.  September has been a rainy month.  The heavy rain started about 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and it hasn't let up.  It is supposed to go on like this for a week.  Already one bridge is out, cutting Hagensborg off from Bella Coola (Credit Union, library, stores, garbage dump etc.).  Fortunately we have our own gas station (flooded), a grocery store, airport and post office here.  So far the power is still on.  As my home is all-electric this is critical for me; also sump pumps etc work mostly on electricity.  And we are cut off from Williams Lake on the other side (bridge out or a landslide on the Hill.)
   In September 1980, when I moved to Bella Coola Valley, the Snootli Creek bridge was out then too.  It was going to be reported on the CBC radio and TV; so I had to phone my mother back in Toronto to tell her not to worry (she was a deep worrier) as the family was OK but cut off from one another.  When I go to the grocery store today (if I can get through), I may see fish swimming in the flooded roadway in Hagensborg.  I am praying our house isn't flooded because I live pretty close to the river.  Most of us do live close to the river as the main road, Highway 20, more or less runs beside it in the narrow river valley.
   Port Hardy and the First Nations reserve near it are cut off on Vancouver Island.  And we have a week of rain to go.

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