The Cariboo Regional District is asking area residents to prepare for the possibility of flooding as the spring melt begins.
CEO and Emergency Operations Centre Director John MacLean says staff have been monitoring higher than normal streamflows in the region.
But MacLean says flooding, debris flows, high water tables or even landslides are possible during the spring melt, especially after the wildfires that ravaged large swaths of the Cariboo.
Wildfire affected watersheds tend to see greater streamflows that peak earlier. To make matters more concerning, the CRD says many of the regions affected by fire have above normal snowpacks, although temperature and precipitation are also important factors in the melt.
Officials are asking residents to use caution around rivers, streams, and culverts and to assess their properties for potential drainage issues.
The CRD says having an emergency plan ready now is also a good idea.
